Union County Fiscal Court approves ordinance relating to solid waste

Due to the closure of the landfill, Union County Fiscal Court magistrates unanimously approved the 1st reading of an Ordinance Pertaining to the Public Health, Safety, and Welfare; Regulating the Accumulation, Storage, Collection, Transportation, Processing, and Disposal of Solid Waste; Authorizing the Advertisement, Selection, and Awarding of a Franchise for the Collection and Disposal of Solid Waste; and Providing Penalties for Violations of the provisions of the Ordinance.

During Tuesday morning’s meeting, Judge Executive Jody Jenkins presented a summary of the ordinance. He said the Solid Waste Committee had met and combined previous amendments to a “catch-all” ordinance written in 1991 that pertained more to a landfill than a transfer station. Jenkins said it was handed down from the state to counties that covered everything pertaining to solid waste and landfill debris. Since that time, Judge Jenkins said he learned in August that the landfill would close at the end of the year.

He stated they have changed the ordinance once and this is an attempt to change it again.


Magistrate Joe Clements commented that neither he nor anyone on fiscal court caused the landfill to close or raised citizens’ rates. He said that was Mr. Kanipe’s decision.

Magistrate Joe Wells said if anyone is to blame…it’s the City of Henderson for pulling out of their contract with Dozeit and choosing to go to Owensboro with their waste, which caused Dozeit to close. He said the City of Henderson also pulled out of the Tri-County Recycling Alliance comprised of the four counties and cities.

Now that the 1st reading of the ordinance was approved, the public will have a chance to review it at the Courthouse prior to the 2nd reading at the next meeting.

In other business, magistrates approved a Fire Grant as presented by Union County Emergency Management Director Vernon Martin for over 752-thousand dollars with a 5 percent match from the county.

In addition, magistrates approved the Union County Administrative Code; a Resolution for Adoption of the 2016 Green River Area Development District Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; the Annual Order Setting Maximum Amount for Deputies and Assistants for the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Clerk’s Office; and Senior Citizen Employee’s monthly cell phone stipend of $25 will now be added to the four full-time driver’s paychecks each month after a recommendation from the state auditor.

The next regularly scheduled fiscal court meeting is Tuesday morning, January 26, 2016, at 9:00.

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