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Engineer hired for landfill closure

Jack Chappelle was unofficially hired Friday by Marion County Commission as the engineer for closure of the county's former landfill site.

Engineering costs of perhaps $35,000 and expenses of county workers would be the main costs. Closure is not urgent, but the county wants to appear "proactive."

Chappelle referred to a letter dated Nov. 29, 2001, to the commission from Paul Graves of Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Bureau of Waste Management.

The letter addressed closure procedures.

Chappelle said nothing had changed since the letter was issued. Drawings addressing drainage, control points, and physical features had been prepared and sent to the county attorney, he said. A copy should have been made by the county attorney, and the original should have been returned. Chappelle said KDHE was not sure who provided the drawings.

A closure list was discussed in detail.

Chappelle informed the commission the county could ask for bids for the construction portion (moving dirt and covering the landfill) or use county employees.

The county needs to provide KDHE a schedule, Chappelle said.

"KDHE has not indicated an eminent problem with the site," Chappelle said. "The county just needs to let KDHE know the county wants to be proactive but has limited funds."

Chappelle added the closing process could be spread over a longer period for budgetary purposes.

Commission Chairman Leroy Wetta said the commission wanted a "ballpark figure" if the county provided equipment and manpower.

Chappelle said the main cost would be dirt.

Wetta responded the county owns the dirt.

"Then the county's costs will be engineering and rental of the necessary equipment," Chappelle said.

Since the landfill never had a vertical expansion, compacting of the cover dirt will not be necessary, Chappelle said.

County costs will be an equipment operator, scraper, bulldozer, and someone to oversee the operation.

Commissioner Howard Collett asked whether there were regulations for the cover soil.

Chappelle said the material needed to be clay, which is present in county soil.

"It will depend on what KDHE requires," he said.

Clay allows for evaporation of water and for vegetation on the soil.

"If KDHE goes with a prescribed cover, then we would have to go with 18 inches of soil with a vegetation cover," Chappelle said.

Compactor equipment will be required for additional compacting.

The commission responded that the county has a compactor.

"The key to proper closure is proper materials at appropriate slopes for drainage," Chappelle said.

Chappelle said he was the engineer for closure of the former landfill at McPherson. McPherson County contracted the work, which was done in November, December, and January.

Wetta told the other commissioners an engineer needed to be hired as soon as possible.

After additional discussion, Chappelle said he could provide the engineering service for $25,000 to $35,000, if county workers did the construction work. If the work is contracted, bid documents would need to be drawn, and this would increase the engineer's fee.

The engineer would be responsible for negotiating with KDHE and following prescribed closure procedures.

Chappelle will send a contract to the commission for review.

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