County Commissioners

The County Commissioners have had their hands full with the Simco Landfill as they navigate the different terrains of possibility while attempting to salvage the area.

It is no surprise that the dealings of these events are still being drug out. It is also not surprising that possible water contamination of the area is being discussed too.

Matt Beater from DEQ was in to discuss the matters of the lychee system. Beater informed the commissioners that some of what they were dealing with, was anticipated due to the synthetic liner that this type of landfill possess. The lychee system is built with the knowledge that there will be leaking in the area, the question at this point is, how much.

Beater went on to tell the commissioners that lychee removed from the liner, and that there was supposed to be evaporation ponds made, but that never happened. He explained that at least of one of the three required tanks for the system is just gone, and that they didn’t even know that there was a lychee protection system. He didn’t think that even IRWS knew that these systems were in place. There was a failed storage system, and they had been warned to have that replaced back in November of 2022. There is supposed to be a daily cover, but there hasn’t been anybody out there doing so.

IRWS was instructed to not enter the property by means of a cease and desist letter, but they also can’t operate because the lychee is now on top of the cover. Beater doesn’t think that IRWS proper will be able deal with this because no one is sure if IRWS proper has the funding to do so, informing the commissioners that when their workers are out there to check the situation there is only one worker out there, and as far as they can tell, it is just to meet with DEQ.

Commissioners Corbus and Hofer (Commissioner Rodgers was not present) were most concerned with the next steps for the water and what type of fail safes were in place for these types of situations.

Beater told them that they had filed for the insurance financial forms, but Commissioner Hofer stated that there wasn’t much that could be done with insurance due to the on-going court hearings, to which Beater was insistent that there was no contamination yet detected.

Mr. Brent from the CDH had said that every time that he had gone out there, the site was deteriorating more and more, making it more concerning of the surface areas that are exposed, and that surface area grows daily.

Attorney Germaine, who is representing the county, made it adamantly known that the county is, and has been paying, for the removal and daily hauling. A matter that should be taken care of by IRWS. An expense that the county has been covering since November according to Germaine.

More is to be determined as information is released to the public. All commissioner meetings are held at the court house and are open to the public.