06/10/10 P&D HEARING ENDS IN STRONG RESISTANCE
Planning & Development determines that the landfill is not consistent with the County Comprehensive Plan !
Thursday night, citizens gathered to speak their minds on the ridiculous nature of a regional landfill in beautiful Morgan County. The speakers could not have been more prepared, and the topics more precise in their over whelming decision to encourage the Commission to deny the rezoning.
The night was not left to a single basic denial. The Chairman specifically addressed the inadequateness of the application that proved to be enough for denial in itself. Yet, the denial was not determined from the fraudulent nature of the GRAD program as the application basis as much as it was simply that a landfill doesn't belong in our detailed furture landuse design plan. This was the foundatal argument of the Banks family attorney, as he mocked the 'common sense' of our citizens and our County Commission.
Our legal presentative, Mr. Palmer, said it best, "It's an extremely short sighted perspective to take on a land use such as this that will basically determine the future of this entire area of the county for several decades to come...My clients would respectfully suggest and ask that the county not sell it's soul of this historic community for thirty pieces of silver."
His statement opened the floor for the opposition to speak and seemed to fuel the emotions of the citizens that spoke after him. The compassion and persistence in this fight will keep us strong in this fight. We applaud the many citizens that spoke in conjunction with our speaker. And above all we applaud the Planning & Development Commission for keeping true to the future of our County and voting unanimously to DENY THE REZONING.
04/29/10 CITIZENS RALLY AT MADISON PARK
Citizens gather for a peaceful assembly in response to the proposed landfil from in our county. CTPMC was invited to attend along with other groups including the Madison-Morgan Conservancy and both pollitical parties. Various citizens partook in soap box speeches and encouraged every citizen to join in the movement to maintain our quality of life while improving on our waste management issues. The rally lasted from 7:00PM - 8:00PM.
04/05/10 CITY COUNCIL OPEN PUBLIC FORUM
City Council determines that the landfill is not in the best interest of Madison!
City Council calls Special Meeting for Monday at 5:30PM. Forum will be open for public comments regarding the impacts a regional landfill will have on the City of Madison (not the County). This is a critical time for the citizens who reside within the city limites, as well as those who are on the outskirts, to raise their issues with the proposed regional landfill application. We ask everyone attending to please beaware of the time constraints and to make the following consideration: (1) Address only the subject at hand (2) abstain from duplicate comments (3) consolidate public comment as much as possible prior to meeting (4) be aware of time constraints by embracing the fore mentioned. [Read More...]
03/18/10 LANDFILL GETS POLITICAL: LOCAL DEMOCRATS DISCUSS GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO ADDRESS ZONING
We'd like to add to a statement to the current Morgan County Citizen article that noted a statement made by attendee Ralph Blanchard. He pointed out that the Banks family permitted the City of Madison to run a sewage line across their property so that the Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility could become operational. Blanchard suggested that the Banks family might be cashing in the favor.
We'd like to point out that the Banks family and any other adjacent property owner to the Water Facility benefited greatly from this development. It is similiar to working with the Department of Transportation to get a road developed on your property where road-frontage is more marketable, therefore increasing your property value. Under no circumstances does the City of Madison owe the Banks family any favor for running a sewage line across their property. In addition, the Banks family sold all of their property adjacent to the Water Facility.
01/19/10 BANKS FAMILY MEET WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Feeling the pressure of citizen resistance, Jeff and Camille Banks held a private meeting in a public relations attempt to gain the county's legislative delegation support with regards to the landfill. Among the attendees was an Atlantic Coast Consultant Engineer, Mayor Bruce Gilbert, Georgia Sentator Johnny Grant, Georgia Representative Doug Holt, and a few invited local citizens. "Basically, I think they wanted to talk with us about new landfill technology and hear concerns that Madison residents might have about a regional landfill," Gilbert said. Yet, the citizens of Madison have heard nothing of a new clean technology.
01/05/10 COUNTY REVIEWS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Board of Commissioners mote unanimoulsy to earmark up to $5,000 for an update of the 2004 Solid Waste Mangaement Plan. [Read More...]
11/17/09 WHITEY HUNT SPEAKS TO COMMISSION BOARD
Madison City Council member Whitey Hunt speaks on behalf of concerned citizens regarding the landfill issue to the Commission Board. He encouraged the Board to continue diligently in the footsteps of our previous leaders toward preserving our home and quality of life when he said, "We're looking to you to make a decision that is in the best interest of Morgan County."
11/13/09 COMMISSIONERS DENY REQUEST
The Board of Commissioners deny our organization the request to be on their agendy to discuss a moratorium and address the Solid Waste Management Plan shortfalls and impacts on our county. They stated their rezoning ordinances in place are strong enough to sustain any short comings in the county's waste plan.
10/29/09 PUBLIC PARK FOR LANDFILL PERMIT
We learn that the Banks family has proposed donating 55 acres toward a public park which is contingent on getting an approved rezoning status, conditional use permit, and necessary variances. Yet the county cannot afford to develope, build, manage, or maintain another public part in the county. Nor does the location of the park coincide with the current county growth and development south of I-20.
09/14/09 COMMISSIONER WARREN'S TOWN HALL
Commissioner Warren holds a Town Hall Meeting stating publicly the Banks family's proposal for a Regional Solid Waste Landfill in Morgan County. The meeting was packed with concerned citizens who strongly disagreed with this proposal. It was this citizen-majority-resistance that lead to the founding of the our organization. As stated in the 09/17/09 Morgan County Citizen article, "The facility would accept solid waste from around the region and would then convert the gases released by the garbage into viable energy or natural gas for home or business use, although Jeff Banks says that it is too early to determine exactly which areas would send waste to Morgan County."