New Lebanon Town Board Action – Landfill Closure Nears After Three Decades

by Thaddeus Flint
After 32 years of discussions, disagreements, wrangling and concessions, an agreement between Columbia County and the Town of New Lebanon over responsibility for the closure of the Town’s landfill was voted on and accepted at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting.
[private]The plan would see the Town waive the County’s liability as part of the agreement. In exchange Columbia County will pay New Lebanon a total of $625,000 in four yearly payments, starting in 2014 and ending in 2017. New Lebanon was the only town in the County that had been unable to work out a closure agreement to date.
The Columbia County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee approved the plan June 4.
New Lebanon Town Supervisor Mike Benson said that the agreement will now be discussed at the County Government Committee meeting on June 12, but he does not foresee any problems arising. “This is the last stop in the process,” said Benson.
Councilmen Doug Clark and K.B. Chittenden voted in favor of accepting the agreement. Councilmen Bruce Baldwin and Matt Larabee were absent.
“Mike [Benson], taking the lead here, has really made progress,” stated Clark, who noted that the entire process of closing the waste facility has spanned his entire career in New Lebanon. “The County should have taken 100% of the cost,” added Clark, “but that’s not going to happen.”
According to Clark, the Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to finance 90% of the closing costs. The $625,000 contributed by the County will go towards New Lebanon’s share of the closing costs and yearly maintenance of the site. The closed landfill must be maintained for 30 years. A capital reserve fund will be established to make sure the money received is earmarked towards the eventual landfill costs.
“But what happens if the State reneges on the 90%?” asked Chittenden. “Where do we stand then?”
Benson pointed out that in New York there had been “over a thousand” landfills. Now there were “less than 50.” The State was actively pursuing landfill closures so there was little chance that the State would not also want to close New Lebanon’s.
“There’s always the oddball thing that can happen,” agreed Clark. “But we really have a good probability that the plan will go through.” The Town is now 13th in line with DEC to have the site closed. Clark estimated it would take maybe six more years before the Town made it to the front of the line.
“Its maybe not perfect, not what we hoped for, but I agree with Doug [Clark],” said Chittenden.
Had the County fought the decision, and won, the Town could have been liable for half of the $2.1 million closing costs. Legal expenses would have also taken a toll on the Town’s finances.
“If it goes according to plan,” said Benson, “the taxpayers won’t pay anything.”
Revitalization
While it might take over three decades to close a garbage dump, plans to revitalize the Town’s business district are coming together at a slightly swifter pace. Clark said that Behan Planning Associates, the firm hired last April to figure out how to stimulate the Routes 22 and 20 corridor, was in the process of scheduling meetings with the area’s larger stake-holders. State grants that might finance some miracles for the “Miracle Mile” could be applied for as early as June. Behan’s ideas will cost $20,000, with $10,000 coming from private donors. Private donors have already chipped in $2,500 of their share.
Community Picnic
Donors can also chip in for the Town’s Community Picnic which will be held July 20 at the pavilion in Shatford Park. Town Attorney Andy Howard assured Scott Larabee of the Recreation Commission that it was ok for them to accept private donations of food and supplies for the annual event. Stewart’s in New Lebanon was the first to make an offer, but Larabee wanted to make sure all was legal before accepting their generosity.
Water, Water Everywhere
It is hoped that the weather will have improved by then as well. New Lebanon is slowly filling to the brim with rain water, with more expected Thursday. “Everybody should go home and build a boat,” Town Highway Superintendent Jeff Weinstock said only half-jokingly. “We’ve had worse, but let’s hope it doesn’t get worse.”
While bits of New Lebanon begin to float away, the Town’s Assessor, Kim Cammer, however, won’t be going anywhere. “There are surrounding municipalities looking to scoop up our Assessor,” warned Benson. All were in favor of reappointing Cammer for another term.[/private]