The board’s advisory council against allocation cut

By William K. Alcorn

alcorn@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

The Mahoning County health board is putting together a counterproposal to the Solid Waste Management District’s plan to cut in half its budgeted $290,000 for allocation.

Patricia Sweeney, commissioner of the county district board of health, said the board’s counterproposal will be presented to the SWMD’s Policy Committee on Sept. 9.

Sweeney reported to the health board at its meeting Aug. 21 that a plan to cut costs by reducing the frequency of landfill inspections and testing of water wells around the landfills is being developed, but won’t be finalized until it is approved by the department’s District Advisory Council.

The advisory council represents the townships in Mahoning County and is the health board’s governing body.

Previously, David Mannion, Smith Township trustee and president of the advisory council, said the health department’s funding ought to be the first obligation of the SWMD.

“It is the advisory council’s position that the SWMD’s first money should be spent to make sure landfills are safely operated and maintained, not recycling,” he said.

The county SWMD, known as the Green Team, gets the majority of its revenue from per-ton dumping fees paid by the landfills. Central Waste Landfill in Smith Township, which generated about $650,000 a year in dumping fees, closed in 2012 — causing much of the SWMD’s financial shortfall, officials have said.

Total SWMD revenue was $2.6 million in 2012 and is projected to be $2.4 million this year and $2.4 million in 2014.