Former Councillor Says He Worries About Added Debt Proposed New Landfill Site Will Bring
Two Opinions Of Which Is More Costly - Expansion Of Existing Landfill Or New Location
The final cost and potentially another less expensive and viable option is what motivated a former longtime councillor to question the City’s planned location of a proposed new landfill at a March 19th open house.
Former Moose Jaw city councillor Brian Swanson said he worries about the costs - most of them upfront - of the proposed new landfill and the likely need to borrow to finance it.
“What worries me is the up front capital costs. The City already has significant debt and I’m worried about it,” Swanson said.
The City’s debt load to it is his major concern.
“The City doesn’t have that money set aside yet. There is going to be more borrowing and I worry how much debt the City is getting in to,” he said.
“There are a lot of costs involved in starting a brand new landfill. There’s a lot of costs. There will be a lot of borrowing for the City,” Swanson said, adding “I’m a little worried about the debt situation of the City.”
Despite the high startup and other costs of relocating the landfill to a proposed new site the City says it is the most viable option.
The solid waste utility has a five year capital budget of $24,774,400 with majority of the funds allocated to the proposed new landfill.
At the open house for RM residents the former councillor said he prefers the option of expanding the present landfill to the east pointing out it might be a cheaper option.
“I always worked under the assumption that is what the City was going to do. Expand to the east so that’s why we own the land there,” Swanson said.
“We already own the land east of the landfill. To go out north of town right away you’ve got to spend almost $6 million on land and then there’s all of the capital costs doing the landfill.”
Existing infrastructure at the present landfill site in the northeast makes a more financially viable option.
“And you know the weigh scales are there. The maintenance shed is there. We own the land. It’s a lot less expensive than what’s being proposed.”
The City is allegedly paying well above market value to acquire the 390.23 acres for the proposed landfill.
CITY’S RESPONSE
It’s an option the City says is too expensive and does not meet environmental and other regulations.
During the April 8th post Council scrum responding to questions from MJ Independent city manager Maryse Carmichael said the City had looked at all options.
“We looked at the fresh water source between what’s already existing. It’s really not an option that we’re considering to expand the old landfill,” Carmichael said.
Asked about using a liner to allow expansion she said “the issue if we go that route is financially it’s not a viable option. Because it’s so expensive to be able to turn the old landfill into (it).”
“The current requirements it is too expensive.”
A request asking further question on the landfill issue were not responded to by publication time.
The preceding is the second in a series of stories on the proposed new landfill.