County committees discuss landfill and complaint about noise from racetrack

White County commissioners met June 2 for another round of committee meetings. It was a longer set of meetings, with a few committees that have not met in some time.

Solid Waste Committee began first, and there was news with the landfill. The team working on the scene has begun excavating, and the permit for the landfill was submitted. Commissioner Chris Brewington asked about the money the county has received for selling the landfill, and County Executive Denny Wayne clarified. The county got the initial $2 million for selling the landfill, and, once the cell opens, the county will get another $2 million from the deal. There was otherwise no new business addressed during the committee’s meeting.

Steering Committee A was a similarly short meeting, though there were a few topics of note. There was a motion to approve the new Jersey Pike Road to the county’s road list, and it was approved unanimously. The mineral severance tax was discussed. That is the tax that is imposed on oil, natural gases, and other similar non-renewable resources. The discussion was approved to go to full court, on June 16.

Steering Committee B met directly after. The meeting started with addressing a noise complaint problem that was brought up by a resident at a prior meeting. The complaints are about the racetrack, and the owner talked with commissioner Derrick Hutchings. The owner assured Hutchings that they are limiting the number of races and usually ending before 10 p.m. On the night of the noise complaint, however, some equipment malfunctions put them past 11 p.m., hence the complaints. The committee moved on with that assurance from the owner in mind, as the county does not have any ordinances regarding the matter they could enforce.

The Oversight Committee had a special topic to address during their meeting: electronics. Senate Bill 136 and House Bill 152 allows for commissioners to participate in legislative meetings electronically. There are a fair number of barriers to entry. As County Executive Robinson quotes it, “Members may participate electronically only if they are dealing with a family or medical emergency, have been called to military service, or prevented from being in person due to inclement weather.”

One of the concerns raised with this topic was found in that quote. Commissioner Kyle Goff asked, “Who will determine what’s a family or medical emergency? Is that just a good faith system?”

Robinson showed where it is limited to two times per year, so he does not believe it is a system that can be abused by a commissioner. Another question was asked about what kind of electronic is allowed for that electronic participation. According to Robinson, the face of the commissioner must still be visible, so that would imply that the electronic must be one that can allow for that interfacing. After this brief discussion and elaboration, a motion was approved to send the discussion to full court.