Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon mayor opposed to landfill at Smithton community

In recent months reports from Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin on the proposed landfill to be located just a few miles out of Gurdon's city limits has drawn much local concern.

The landfill is to be placed in the Smithton community and will take in garbage from Clark, Hot Springs and Garland counties.

This has several citizens living in this area worried as to what will happen to the peaceful environment and the fresh air they are used to.

Several other locals have the same feeling and know the smell will be putrefying at times.

Franklin has attended several meetings concerning the landfill and has left no doubt in anyone's mind as to how he feels about the landfill.

"I don't want it here. Simple as that. It will not bring anything good to this area and I don't understand why they would want to locate it that close to our town," Franklin said during a recent city council meeting.

Franklin recently voted against the landfill at a meeting in Hot Springs where several county officials voted for the landfill.

Franklin said, "Landfill history reflects an almost universal site selection limited to regions populated by minorities, low-income families, or some combination of both. Those citizens perceived to have the least capacity to protest. The Smithton site has all of these characteristics. This site exhibits a strong case of environmental justice litigation.

"Landfill history also reflects an almost universal corruption of water resources regardless of coil composition, liner technologies, or engineering. Past Garland County landfills along with many others within the state serve as prime examples. The City of Gurdon depends on wells, as its sole source of water.

"The Smithton site is not a desirable location from an economic viewpoint. The site is in the most southern portion of the three-county district and represents the most inefficient economic location to be considered. The economics of liner and land cost can be argued, but these one-time costs do not compare with the daily, recurring cost of staff, equipment and fuel to transport solid waste over the distances represented by the Smithton site. To my knowledge, no study has been done to examine the costs."

Land for the landfill was recently purchased from International Paper Company. Since this time, much concern from the residents of the Smithton community and citizens of Gurdon has heightened.

On Wednesday, December 18, 2002, a special community meeting will be held at the Eastern Star Baptist Church. Several elected county official will be present, including Clark County Judge- elect, Ron Daniel. Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin will be on hand also.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. All residents of the community are invited to attend as well as any interested Gurdon resident.