WACO — The Waco City Council voted Tuesday night to approve the purchase of a plot of land in east McLennan County that would be the site of a new landfill. The vote came despite more than 60 people voicing their opposition to the proposal.
One by one, citizens from all over McLennan County, and some from Limestone and Hill Counties, got their chance to speak before the city council. The 500 acre plot of land is near the intersection of State Highway 31 and FM 939, near the community of Axtell.
The people opposed to the proposed location said it was more than just the smell and the potential for more traffic. Farmers and ranchers feared the landfill could present safety issues with their water supply for both their crops and their livestock.
The meeting started at 6 p.m. The council had to vote to extend the meeting to 9 p.m. to accommodate the number of people who wanted to speak. In the end, the council voted unanimously to purchase the land for $1.8 million.
"It's deeply saddening," Axtell ISD Superintendent J.R. Proctor said. "I feel like the city council didn't consider our position. We don't have a vote."
Following the purchase approval, the council unanimously approved to begin the permitting process with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a solid waste landfill.
People with the group, "Residents Against the Axtell Landfill" said they have already begun their next steps in the fight against the landfill's heading to their area.
City of Waco Public Information Officer Larry Holze sent a press release Wednesday morning saying the land could provide an alternate site for a landfill at Old Lorena Road or could be used for a landfill in the future.
“The provision of sanitation services is a core responsibility of city government, and the acquisition of this property, as well as the beginning of the permitting process, is a necessary first step to assure our citizens that the city will have adequate landfill capacity for the future, “said Waco Mayor Kyle Deaver.
The permitting process can take several years and will require additional students at the site, according to Holze.
“This site would necessitate a considerably longer drive for our vehicles which will add to the cost of sanitation services,” said Deaver. “The council agreed to look for options to the Old Lorena Road site and while no decision has been made at this time, we are committed to continuing that process.”
Following the purchase approval, the council unanimously approved to begin the permitting process with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a solid waste landfill.