The Brundidge City Council received &uot;good news&uot; from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Tuesday.

City Manager Britt Thomas told the council that ADEM notified the city that BFI Waste Systems of North America, Inc. has been approved for an extended service area that includes all states east of the Mississippi River and the state of Louisiana and a waste volume of 7,500 tons a day. A permit for five years has been issued.

BFI operates Brundidge Landfill, a Subtitle D solid waste landfill in the city.

&uot;This is a culmination of a long and extended effort,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;This is something that the entire city can be proud of.&uot;

The waste approved for disposal at Brundidge Landfill includes non-hazardous solid wastes, non-infectious putrescible and non-putrescible waste including household garbage, industrial waste, construction and demolition debris, tires, trees, limbs, stumps, sludge, paper and other similar type materials. Special waste approved by ADEM may also be accepted.

Thomas said BFI recently hired a person to oversee the special waste that is permitted by ADEM at the solid waste disposal facility.

Thomas explained that &uot;special waste&uot; includes such waste as dirt contaminated by oil spillage.

Thomas also had more &uot;good news&uot; for the council. He said that Brundidge Landfill has gone &uot;over the hump&uot; that will increase the city's fee per ton.

&uot;For some time now the volume has been near 12,000 tons a month, but now the landfill is over the hump and I don't see it going back,&uot; he said.

Going over the hump means that the city receives and addition 35 cents a ton and, last month, that put an addition $6,000 is the city's coffer.

The council also discussed forming a solid waste authority for the city.

Thomas said to do so, a minimum of three registered voters must make petition.

&uot;Those three registered voters could be members of the council,&uot; he said. &uot;Thomas also suggested that the authority be made up of council members.

&uot;The authority make contracts with the landfill and the money will go directly to the authority,&uot; he said. &uot;Therefore, the council should be the authority.&uot;

The council voted to authorize the purchase of property that will become an annex building for city hall.

The city will pay $26,000 to Region's Bank for a building on old U.S. 231 north in Brundidge and the land on which it is situated.

Thomas said the building is about 4,000 square feet and the goal of the council is for the building to be utilized by county agencies.

Brundidge Station is now being utilized by a couple of county agencies and this purchase will, in time, free up Brundidge Station and also provide a place where Brundidge residents can more conveniently conduct business with county agencies, Thomas said.

&uot;Space at Brundidge Station is being utilized by the county revenue commissioner and the city's goal is to provide space for other county agencies in the former Will Lee building,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;We have residents who have to get someone drive them to Troy to take care of business. We welcome the opportunity to provide a place where county agencies provide local service for our residents.&uot;

Thomas told the council that there will be a pause in the roadwork on the north end of town that will provide access to Southern Classic Food Group.

The pause will allow time to take care of the installation of water and sewer lines to the facility. Once those lines are in place, roadwork will resume.

By Jaine Treadwell, Features Editor

The Brundidge City Council received &uot;good news&uot; from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Tuesday.

City Manager Britt Thomas told the council that ADEM notified the city that BFI Waste Systems of North America, Inc. has been approved for an extended service area that includes all states east of the Mississippi River and the state of Louisiana and a waste volume of 7,500 tons a day. A permit for five years has been issued.

BFI operates Brundidge Landfill, a Subtitle D solid waste landfill in the city.

&uot;This is a culmination of a long and extended effort,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;This is something that the entire city can be proud of.&uot;

The waste approved for disposal at Brundidge Landfill includes non-hazardous solid wastes, non-infectious putrescible and non-putrescible waste including household garbage, industrial waste, construction and demolition debris, tires, trees, limbs, stumps, sludge, paper and other similar type materials. Special waste approved by ADEM may also be accepted.

Thomas said BFI recently hired a person to oversee the special waste that is permitted by ADEM at the solid waste disposal facility.

Thomas explained that &uot;special waste&uot; includes such waste as dirt contaminated by oil spillage.

Thomas also had more &uot;good news&uot; for the council. He said that Brundidge Landfill has gone &uot;over the hump&uot; that will increase the city's fee per ton.

&uot;For some time now the volume has been near 12,000 tons a month, but now the landfill is over the hump and I don't see it going back,&uot; he said.

Going over the hump means that the city receives and addition 35 cents a ton and, last month, that put an addition $6,000 is the city's coffer.

The council also discussed forming a solid waste authority for the city.

Thomas said to do so, a minimum of three registered voters must make petition.

&uot;Those three registered voters could be members of the council,&uot; he said. &uot;Thomas also suggested that the authority be made up of council members.

&uot;The authority make contracts with the landfill and the money will go directly to the authority,&uot; he said. &uot;Therefore, the council should be the authority.&uot;

The council voted to authorize the purchase of property that will become an annex building for city hall.

The city will pay $26,000 to Region's Bank for a building on old U.S. 231 north in Brundidge and the land on which it is situated.

Thomas said the building is about 4,000 square feet and the goal of the council is for the building to be utilized by county agencies.

Brundidge Station is now being utilized by a couple of county agencies and this purchase will, in time, free up Brundidge Station and also provide a place where Brundidge residents can more conveniently conduct business with county agencies, Thomas said.

&uot;Space at Brundidge Station is being utilized by the county revenue commissioner and the city's goal is to provide space for other county agencies in the former Will Lee building,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;We have residents who have to get someone drive them to Troy to take care of business. We welcome the opportunity to provide a place where county agencies provide local service for our residents.&uot;

Thomas told the council that there will be a pause in the roadwork on the north end of town that will provide access to Southern Classic Food Group.

The pause will allow time to take care of the installation of water and sewer lines to the facility. Once those lines are in place, roadwork will resume.