County board debates, but takes no action on landfill

The fate of the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture?s (WCEV) proposed landfill still lies in the hands of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners, but Wolverine will have to wait a bit longer for the board?s decision. The commissioners discussed the matter at last week?s meeting of the full board, but failed to take action Wolverine sought. On the recommendation of prosecuting attorney Rick Steiger, the matter was tabled for discussion at a future meeting, but not before a 35-minute debate between the commissioners at Friday?s meeting.

Wolverine is seeking the board to approve an ?application for a determination of consistency with the Presque Isle Solid Waste Plan,? the next step in getting approval to construct a type-three landfill. If that approval is gained, Wolverine will apply to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for a permit to construct the landfill nearly one mile east of the proposed power plant in a mined-out portion of the Calcite quarry.

AT THE BOARD?S September 9 meeting, county board chairman Carl Altman sent the request to the September 16 meeting of the two-member public health and safety committee consisting of commissioners Mike Darga and Mike Grohowski. Although that committee agreed that Wolverine?s application for a landfill permit had met all requirements of the county?s 13-point solid waste plan, checking each point off one at a time, the two members of the public health and safety committee withheld their recommendation, (as reported in last week?s edition of the Advance) and took their report to the full board.

It was there that more discussion brought out mixed opinions on what should be the next step. One of the committee members made clear his support at Friday?s meeting of the full board.

?From the meeting we had as a committee, it is my understanding, and I am 100 percent sure, that it does meet our solid waste plan,? Darga told the board and then asked Grohowski to comment. ?It did meet the 13 points,? Grohowski said.

Darga said there were some issues raised, but it was his hope to come back to the board Friday with a recommendation to sign the resolution in favor of Wolverine?s request. That changed because of an issue that may lie with the Presque Isle County Planning Commission. Darga asked Jim Zakshesky, building and zoning administrator to clarify an issue regarding a special use permit. That began a 35-minute discussion on the issue.

Later, as chairman Carl Altman tried to end the discussion to entertain a possible motion on the resolution, Steiger offered another reason to wait on the vote. He said he had not been asked to look at the zoning question of whether extractive

industry is under the subheading of industrial as brought up by Schell. Commissioner Bob Schell made that into a motion and Grohowski supported the motion. Darga argued that Zakshesky?s answer to that question in the September 16 committee meeting made it clear zoning would not be an issue with the county?s solid waste plan. In Darga?s mind the issue had been clarified.

?I come to this meeting now, looking like I have been misinformed,? Darga said. Altman said he hoped that the matter would be resolved by the next meeting of the board of commissioners October 13 after the vote to table the matter was approved.

(A complete version of this story appears in the printed edition of the Advance)