Monday, Nov. 19 2012 5:46PM

Council accepts recent landfill veto

By Russ Pulley

rpulley@lsjournal.com

The Lee’s Summit City Council accepted Mayor Randy Rhoads veto and his suggestion that rescind a 2010 resolution calling for the city to work with a consortium of Cass County cities to build a regional landfill.

Rhoads had vetoed a resolution passed by the council that the city wouldn’t own another landfill after it closes the current facility.

Councilmember Bob Johnson, before the council vote Nov. 15, explained that Environment and Natural Resources Committee had held four meetings that lasted a total of seven hours to get testimony and discuss the issue.

“Which I don’t think the council wants to sit through,” said Johnson, that committee’s chairman.

He said the committee heard testimony there’s air space in private landfills in the metropolitan area to last at least 30 years. He noted the city’s landfill was having trouble competing with private landfills to get haulers to use the municipal landfill and a consultant hired by the city recommended closing the landfill as soon as practical.

The council voted unanimously to rescind Resolution 10-10, which referred to the Cass Count Consortium, with council members Ed Cockrell and David Mosby absent.

Councilmember Allan Gray pointed out the mayor’s veto was made for clarity, not to be contentious, to which Rhoads agreed.