Pine Haven supports landfill district

Moorcroft Mayor Dick Claar has used the last month to visit each municipal entity within the boundaries of Crook County, seeking support by letter for the proposal of a solid waste district before the Crook County Commissioners in December.

This reemergence of the solid waste district talks is in response to the negative report by DEQ inspectors who examined the Moorcroft landfill several months ago. A missive sent to the town recently was adamant about the necessity of bringing to fruition the plan for a solid waste district that was originally presented to the agency when extensions to the landfill were first permitted.

If this district is established, according to the mayor, the first step taken by the independent board appointed by the commissioners would be to investigate the actual cost of keeping the Moorcroft landfill open and better facilitate the day-to-day operations of the facility.

While in previous discussions on this subject, Hulett was reticent to offer support. However, the town, under new auspices, has asked for time to research and consider the situation.

As for Sundance, they were thoroughly in agreement with a solid waste district when the topic was talked about around five years ago, but were unable to revisit the question due to other matters consuming the available time at this month’s meeting, so Claar will return in November.

Pine Haven, though, did choose to write the requested letter of support after learning the difference between the now defunct solid waste advisory board the county had previously approved to advise the county on matters involving municipal landfills in previous years without any autonomous authority and the sought-after solid waste district, which will have the auspices to assess for mil levies and manage operations.

After the council discussed the perceived obligation that may go with the dispatch and the possible benefit of such a district, receiving more history of the enterprise and advise from HDR Engineering’s Heath Turbiville and attorney Patrick Carpenter, Pine Haven’s governing body approved lending their support for the venture via a letter three to one.

Claar later said that if the district does not generate the interest need to go before the commissioners, the two options left for Moorcroft are to either close the landfill and haul to Gillette or Casper or attempt as a town to take on the financial load of a new lined pit, closing the existing area plus everyday operations. “I’m not sure that’s financially feasible, but it’s something we’d look at,” he said.