Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LaFAYETTE — Following approximately one year of discussion between the two parties, the Chambers County Commission on Monday agreed to lease the county landfill. County Attorney Skip McCoy explained that the lease would be between the county and Chambers County Landfill LLC with guaranty by Matter Management Enterprises LLC. A 20-year lease was approved in a unanimous vote by the commission and goes into effect on July 14. The county will receive $4,250 a month rent and an additional $1 per ton for everything that has gone in the landfill that month.

“They have agreed to retain the employees we have there and to compensate them at the same, or at a better, rate,” McCoy said. “The landfill will still be available for use by the public as it always has been. They will have a free day every quarter. Any county resident can take up to one ton there at no cost to them.”

Another change is that local companies like Knauf can make deposits at the landfill. 

McCoy said that Matter Management is a $40 million asset company that manages seven or eight other county landfills. They have agreed to be licensed and to have their vehicles tagged in Chambers County.

In short, the county is getting out of running a landfill and turning that over to a private company. It’s similar to having a private company being the solid waste provider.

In other action on Monday, the county agreed to allow the cities of Valley, Lanett and LaFayette the use of its voting machines in the Aug. 25 municipal elections. Valley will be using four of the machines, Lanett three and LaFayette two county voting machines.

McCoy said that construction has been completed on an expansion of the Chambers County detention facility. Some cameras need to be installed and the punch list needs to be reviewed to have it ready for an opening.

“It’s something the citizens of the county will be proud of,” he said. “I applaud you for going ahead and taking care of this. It was something that needed to be done, and it’s better for us to take care to it than to sit back and wait for the federal government to order us to. Other counties in the state are going to have to deal with that because they didn’t have the foresight you had.”

The City of LaFayette must approve a certificate of occupancy before the new addition can be opened.

The commission approved a Class II retail lounge liquor license for Cooper’s Station LLC under the trade name Debbie’s Saloon. The business is located on County Road 237 not far from Roanoke. Commissioner James Williams voted against issuing the license.

According to paperwork submitted as part of the license application, the business applicant, Debbie Walker, was arrested in Talladega County in 2016 on charges of driving under the influence (DUI), eluding and reckless endangerment. The charges were settled by the payment of a fine.

Kim Langley was appointed to a new four-year term as a member of the Chambers County Development Authority Board of Directors. The new term expires on April 29, 2024.

A contract in the amount of $51,900 was approved for David Howard Homebuilders, Inc. to replace metal siding and the roof for the Chambers County Highway Department’s shop. Engineer Josh Harvill said the company had done some previous work for the highway department and that he was satisfied with the quality of their work.