Bids are in to permanently close Holmes County Landfill
The Holmes County commissioners have had their fill of the Holmes County Landfill, and on Wednesday, Jan. 11, they took a huge step in putting that headache to bed when they opened the bids from 13 corporations seeking the right to be the company to officially close the landfill for good.
“I’ve been fighting this thing for six years now, and every time we tried to do something with it there was a hurdle,” said Commissioner Joe Miller. “This thing was doomed from the word go, with the deed restrictions and the operator. It’s just nice to be at a point where we have this out from underneath us. It’s a big relief.”
So it was that representatives from 13 companies, from as far away as Wisconsin and North Carolina, sat in the conference room at the Old Jail in Millersburg as the commissioners opened the bids one by one.
While nothing will be done with the bids until they can be perused by Chris Young, Holmes County engineer, and Ron Zitek of North Point Engineering, it marks a step toward the closure of the landfill the commissioners hope will come no later than the end of the year.
The bids came in near Zitek’s projected figures, and in order of total bid from lowest to highest were:
Fechko Excavating, Inc. of Medina, $2,014,321; Ryan Incorporated Central of Janesville, Wisc., $2,168,658; Mark Haynes Construction, Inc. of Norwalk, $2,187,369; R.F. Scurlock of Trinway, $2,241,324; Catskill Remedial Contracting Services of Ostego, Mich., $2,258,705; Sitetech, Inc. of Grafton, $2,277,781; Mark Schaffer Excavating & Trucking of Norwalk, $2,375,267; Penn Ohio Coal Co. of Dover, $2,418,523; R.B. Jergens Contractors, Inc. of Vandalia, $2,487,505; Landco, Inc. of Leesport, Pa., $2,850,368; TAB Construction Company, Inc. of Canton, $2,899,526; Shamrock Environmental Corp. of Browns Summit, N.C., $2,980,830; and Lockhart Concrete Co. of Akron, $2,986,250.
Amazingly, the average bid came in at $2,472,802, while the engineer’s estimate for work was deemed at $2,389,041, remarkably close considering how many contractors submitted bids.
As for the low bid getting the job, it would seem logical, but there are a number of factors which come into play that will eventually determine which company receives the bid to close the landfill.
“We have to explore the bids with a fine tooth comb and see how it plays out,” said Miller, who has been working diligently on the landfill issues for years. “We may take the low bid, we may not. The engineer’s office will have to examine each bid and make their recommendation accordingly. We are thrilled with the number of bids and with the bidding process. It was very, very close.”
According to Ron Zitek, project manager of North Point Engineering, which is heading up the closure project for the county, the procedure to close the landfill is fairly straightforward, based on Ohio Environmental Protection Agency laws.
“There will be some additional site preparation work done to cover some exposed areas to stabilize the area and minimize run-off,” said Zitek. “There is a little waste that has been overfilled by the prior operator, so we will have to relocate that waste according to the EPA laws.”
After the initial preparation work is completed, whichever company is awarded the bid will have to add dirt to present better slopes, then they will have to add approximately 18 inches of compacted clay barrier to the area to create an area with very low permeability to prevent water from infiltrating into the waste.
That clay will then be layered with a 40-mil geomembrane, a layer of .04-inch thick polyurethane material. On top of that will be a synthetic drainage area, which will help shed water away from the waste area. Then will come 30 inches of soil, which will serve as a protective cover to the plastic and clay below it, and on top of that will be a dense, vegetative layer of grass.
Zitek added that there will be a gas extraction system installed, one which will, “Be a collection system and venting system to prevent gas build-up under the land.”
At that point, Zitek said, there will be some minor miscellaneous drainage items to shore up, but at that point, most of the main work will have been completed.
As for the time line for the project, according to Zitek, the goal is to complete the project no later than the end of 2012, an ambitious goal but one which he, as well as the commissioners, believe is realistic.
“We’d like to have the contractor finished and off-site by Dec. 1,” said Zitek.
Then comes the easy but tedious task of simply keeping an eye on the former landfill for the next 30 years to make sure it adheres to the EPA laws.
“We have 15 or 17 water wells throughout the area which we will monitor over that 30-year period,” said Miller.
Once the 30-year period ends, the land, owned by the county, could be utilized, but Zitek said that whatever takes place, it will have to take into consideration the drainage and layer of cover underneath the soil.
“We would probably recommend that the county do nothing with it, but that is up to the county,” said Zitek.
For the time being, Miller said that the county will survey the entire area, stake it off and post no hunting and no trespassing signs throughout.
“We don’t want four-wheelers out there tearing around,” said Miller. “Maybe someday that will change, but not for now.”
“I’ve been asked about selling some of the land, but as of now, we have no intentions of doing that,” added Commissioner Rob Ault. “We will keep the land as a buffer for now, and see what takes place down the road.”
“I’ve been fighting this thing for six years now, and every time we tried to do something with it there was a hurdle,” said Commissioner Joe Miller. “This thing was doomed from the word go, with the deed restrictions and the operator. It’s just nice to be at a point where we have this out from underneath us. It’s a big relief.”
So it was that representatives from 13 companies, from as far away as Wisconsin and North Carolina, sat in the conference room at the Old Jail in Millersburg as the commissioners opened the bids one by one.
While nothing will be done with the bids until they can be perused by Chris Young, Holmes County engineer, and Ron Zitek of North Point Engineering, it marks a step toward the closure of the landfill the commissioners hope will come no later than the end of the year.
The bids came in near Zitek’s projected figures, and in order of total bid from lowest to highest were:
Fechko Excavating, Inc. of Medina, $2,014,321; Ryan Incorporated Central of Janesville, Wisc., $2,168,658; Mark Haynes Construction, Inc. of Norwalk, $2,187,369; R.F. Scurlock of Trinway, $2,241,324; Catskill Remedial Contracting Services of Ostego, Mich., $2,258,705; Sitetech, Inc. of Grafton, $2,277,781; Mark Schaffer Excavating & Trucking of Norwalk, $2,375,267; Penn Ohio Coal Co. of Dover, $2,418,523; R.B. Jergens Contractors, Inc. of Vandalia, $2,487,505; Landco, Inc. of Leesport, Pa., $2,850,368; TAB Construction Company, Inc. of Canton, $2,899,526; Shamrock Environmental Corp. of Browns Summit, N.C., $2,980,830; and Lockhart Concrete Co. of Akron, $2,986,250.
Amazingly, the average bid came in at $2,472,802, while the engineer’s estimate for work was deemed at $2,389,041, remarkably close considering how many contractors submitted bids.
As for the low bid getting the job, it would seem logical, but there are a number of factors which come into play that will eventually determine which company receives the bid to close the landfill.
“We have to explore the bids with a fine tooth comb and see how it plays out,” said Miller, who has been working diligently on the landfill issues for years. “We may take the low bid, we may not. The engineer’s office will have to examine each bid and make their recommendation accordingly. We are thrilled with the number of bids and with the bidding process. It was very, very close.”
According to Ron Zitek, project manager of North Point Engineering, which is heading up the closure project for the county, the procedure to close the landfill is fairly straightforward, based on Ohio Environmental Protection Agency laws.
“There will be some additional site preparation work done to cover some exposed areas to stabilize the area and minimize run-off,” said Zitek. “There is a little waste that has been overfilled by the prior operator, so we will have to relocate that waste according to the EPA laws.”
After the initial preparation work is completed, whichever company is awarded the bid will have to add dirt to present better slopes, then they will have to add approximately 18 inches of compacted clay barrier to the area to create an area with very low permeability to prevent water from infiltrating into the waste.
That clay will then be layered with a 40-mil geomembrane, a layer of .04-inch thick polyurethane material. On top of that will be a synthetic drainage area, which will help shed water away from the waste area. Then will come 30 inches of soil, which will serve as a protective cover to the plastic and clay below it, and on top of that will be a dense, vegetative layer of grass.
Zitek added that there will be a gas extraction system installed, one which will, “Be a collection system and venting system to prevent gas build-up under the land.”
At that point, Zitek said, there will be some minor miscellaneous drainage items to shore up, but at that point, most of the main work will have been completed.
As for the time line for the project, according to Zitek, the goal is to complete the project no later than the end of 2012, an ambitious goal but one which he, as well as the commissioners, believe is realistic.
“We’d like to have the contractor finished and off-site by Dec. 1,” said Zitek.
Then comes the easy but tedious task of simply keeping an eye on the former landfill for the next 30 years to make sure it adheres to the EPA laws.
“We have 15 or 17 water wells throughout the area which we will monitor over that 30-year period,” said Miller.
Once the 30-year period ends, the land, owned by the county, could be utilized, but Zitek said that whatever takes place, it will have to take into consideration the drainage and layer of cover underneath the soil.
“We would probably recommend that the county do nothing with it, but that is up to the county,” said Zitek.
For the time being, Miller said that the county will survey the entire area, stake it off and post no hunting and no trespassing signs throughout.
“We don’t want four-wheelers out there tearing around,” said Miller. “Maybe someday that will change, but not for now.”
“I’ve been asked about selling some of the land, but as of now, we have no intentions of doing that,” added Commissioner Rob Ault. “We will keep the land as a buffer for now, and see what takes place down the road.”
Published: January 20, 2012
