Sam Hieb on White Street via Guarino

"...city environmental services director Jeryl Covington
...pointed out that instead of Republic Waste Service contracting with the city,
the city was now contracting with Republic for waste disposal but not for transfer.

The city owns a transfer station of its own,
which is more expensive than Republic’s station because it’s enclosed.

If I heard Covington correctly, she also pointed that,
if the council in 2001 was determined to close White Street,
the city got the best possible piece of land for the transfer station
considering future permitting requirements plus its location next to a rail line
for possible rail transport of garbage.

But the most interesting moment came when council member Dianne Bellamy-Small
asked Covington point blank if, in her professional opinion,
“based on the criteria that the council of 2001 gave you,
do you feel the recommendations for where we are today made good sense?”

Covington gave Bellamy-Small a very awkward look before Barber broke in
and stated that Covington did not recommend closing White Street at that time,
a fact Covington confirmed.

Covington said her recommendation was based on a “long-term capacity cost situation.”

Barber then read information
provided by the North Carolina Division of Environment and Natural Resources
stating that a complete, four-phase expansion of White Street
would provide between 50 and 70 years of capacity.

Covington confimed that DENR’s conclusion was based on information her office had provided.

So I think it’s apparent it was a hasty decision to close White Street.

SamH via Guarino