CITIZENS HAVE OPPOSITION TO LANDFILL'S SALE

JACKSON -- A group of Cape Girardeau County citizens opposed to the sale of the Jackson sanitary landfill has organized.

The group, called the Cape Girardeau County Concerned Citizens, organized Feb. 6., and elected Glen Birk as president. The group has retained the services of Cape Girardeau attorney Joe Russell.

Birk said, "The purpose of our organization is to preserve the environment of the Jackson area, and especially the area around the Jackson landfill."

Most of the 30 members of the group live along County Road 341 and 335, near the landfill. "We had a couple from Scott County who own land near the landfill at our organizational meeting," he said.

Jackson is negotiating with a private waste management firm for the long-term, lease-purchase of the landfill. Because it involves the sale of city-owned property, the board of aldermen is discussing the sale in closed session, much to the displeasure of the concerned citizens group.

Birk said, "The board of aldermen is making decisions about the landfill in closed session. It is unfair to be hiding behind the real estate sale exemption in the state's Open Meetings Law while dealing with an issue so critical to the health of the citizens.

"Those of us living near the landfill, as well as the residents of Jackson and the region, deserve to know what is happening. If they (aldermen) don't have anything to hide, why should they have any reservations about being open with all of us."

Birk said the group is concerned about the safety of their well water, increased traffic on the county roads to the landfill, and trash and debris that blows onto private property from the landfill, or off of uncovered trucks loaded with solid waste going to the landfill.

"We want the landfill closed now," Birk continued. "If the city does lease or sell the landfill, under the law, the city will always remain liable for contamination caused by the operator. The city will also be liable for the closing costs whenever they do occur. Also, if the landfill operator declares bankruptcy, where will Jackson go for recourse?"

Birk said residents who live near the landfill are also concerned about the impact a privately operated, regional landfill would have on the value of their property, "and what we have had to put up with out here for the past 15 years."