No big stumps at Highland's dump

MONTEREY - Highland County adopted a change to its solid waste ordinance after a public hearing on the proposal Tuesday. What it means for residents is that roots and stumps larger than six inches in diameter brought to the old landfill site can be turned away at the discretion of the site operator.

Solid waste coordinator Richard Waybright made the recommendation after he saw a large amount of vegetative waste (large tree stumps) pile up at the site last year during a burning restriction.

The site is not permitted to handle landfill items. All trash has to be carried out of the county, except for vegetative material, which can normally be burned. Large stumps weren't a problem as long as burning was allowed and the person bringing them to the former landfill could toss them in the burn pit. But what does the site operator do if burning is not allowed?

County attorney Melissa Dowd admitted there is a potential for abuse. "But the clear intent is to allow whoever is operating the landfill to accommodate the no burn regulations and turn away certain things because of no burn or drought area laws," she said.

Waybright seemed pleased with the change. "I tell people this is not a landfill," he said. "We'll take anything you bring out there. If you can pull if off by hand, we'll separate it (for transportation out of the county). But the ordinance says if it's (vegetative matter) and bigger than a six-inch stump, we don't have to accept it."

- James Jacenich