After more than six weeks of discussion and committee meetings, the Columbus City Council is ready to make a move regarding the future of its landfill.
During Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting, the council unanimously approved a study conducted by Neel-Schaffer Engineering and also approved a suggestion made Nov. 20 by project manager Steve Cockerham. Cockerham’s suggestion, known as “Option 1A” calls for the landfill to grow laterally.
Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong said the committee, which included Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor, Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens, Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem and Public Works manager Mike Pratt, was in agreement on the Cockerham plan.
“We decided Neel-Schaffer’s study was the one we should except,” Armstrong said. “We received study costs from two other firms but after meeting with Kevin Stafford of Neel-Schaffer again, we decided to go with their plan. We also recommend Option 1A, which means we will go up laterally another 65 feet. This will give us another seven years at the landfill.”
Armstrong said the project will cost about $30,000, but Stafford said it could be less than that. The city has $55,000 budgeted for the project.
Other options for landfill included expanding the site by an additional 10 acres, building a new site or closing the landfill.
Armstrong said the landfill, located off South Lehmberg Road in east Columbus, is a 16-acre site, of which roughly five acres is currently being used. Cockerham said the facility takes in about 37,000 tons of waste a year.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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