Solid Waste Situation Stinks – Mayor & Commissioners Discuss Solutions

By Misty Green

As we face the challenge of our landfills nearing maximum capacity, the recent March 17 Commissioner’s Meeting has brought to light a potential solution. This solution, which could have a positive impact on our community and those in the surrounding counties, underscores the importance of your input and involvement in the decision-making process.

Macon County, Tennessee, Mayor Steve Jones previously explained that he had spoken with Macon County’s Solid Waste Director Keith Centers about next year’s budget and Mr. Centers stated that 2,520 tons of trash were collected in 2023 and 3,539 tons were collected in 2024.

Mayor Jones said that the current agreement with Smith County is for $37 per ton and will end on August 31, 2025, and that the contract would be increased once it was renewed.

Mayor Jones stated that the City of Lafayette has recently started hauling trash to Auburn, KY, and has increased its rates to $20 per city resident.

“I spoke with Mayor Mason (Jeff, Smith County) and discussed it with him,” Mayor Steve Jones said, “And we were paying $37 a ton, and they are going to go up with us, and he told me they will build a contract for $50 a ton.”

A Future Solution

“Mayor McCall (Jack, Hartsville) and I met with some folks with a company called Wasted, and they want to put a site at the TVA Industrial site and set up a $130-180 million operation on 15 acres,” Mayor Jones said, adding, “They will be accepting trash from all surrounding counties… They take and turn trash into usable energy by dissolving it into natural gas, and it goes back into the power plant. There will be a Tennessee Central Board Meeting here on the 25th of April, and that company will be here to present their company. Everyone is invited to attend.”

Mayor Jones said it would take about two years to build it. “It is a new technology for the United States, and they want 600 tons of trash daily,” Mayor Jones said, “This is used in the Netherlands; one plant in West Virginia is operating now. This does not cost us anything and is a good alternative.”

“This would be a solution to the whole thing,” District 1 Commissioner Phillip Snow declared. “A two-way solution, one because it would produce energy and two by getting rid of the trash!”

“Every county is having this problem because fewer landfills are being built, and the ones we have are filling up,” Mayor Jones agreed. “And we had 1,000 more tons of trash than we had a year ago,” he added.

The March 17, 2025, Legislative Body Meeting

Macon County Mayor Steve Jones said that they began unloading the equipment today, which will be used to begin construction of the new health department on Nature Trail Way.

Mayor Jones shared that the county used ARP (American Rescue Plan) money, a federal initiative aimed at economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, to pay $477,900 for the construction of the new health department but that no local tax dollars were used.

The Planning Commission advised not to re-zone the Lebron Property, and the commissioners agreed.

Macon County Director of Schools Shawn Carter said the new elementary school design, which features [specific design elements], will be available for viewing during the next Board of Education work session on April 7th at 5 p.m. Mr. Carter also shared that Red Boiling Springs’ graduation will be held on Thursday, May 22 and Macon County High School’s on Friday, May 23rd.

District 7 Commissioner Barry King wanted to publicly recognize Keeley Carter for winning the Tournament MVP award in Tennessee Tech Women’s Basketball’s Ohio Valley Conference Championship win.

Commissioners agreed to ratify replacing Ethan Flippin with Billy Wilmore on the Planning Commission and ratifying Jeff Duncan with Pete Groesbeck. It was also mentioned that District 9 Commissioner Wendell Jones will be added to the Fair Board.

Commissioners approved the Hillsdale Circle Waterline bid on a majority vote, noting that the funds for this project must be removed from the fund balance. Voting no: District 1 Commissioner Todd Gentry, District 2 Commissioner Keith Newberry, District 2 Commissioner Mike Jenkins, District 8 Commissioner Kyle Petty, District 1 Commissioner Phillip Snow. Voting yes: District 3 Commissioner Kevin Wooten,  District 3 Commissioner Ethan Flippin, District 4 Commissioner Billy Wilmore, District 4 Commissioner Justin Dyer, District 5 Commissioner Barry Marshall, District 6 Commissioner Michael Slayton, District 7 Commissioner Jeff Hughes, District 7 Commissioner Barry King, District 8 Commissioner Bobby Ray King, District 9 Commissioner Wendell Jones, District 9 Commissioner Jarhea Wilmore, District 10 Commissioner Helen Hesson, District 10 Commissioner Larry West. District 6 Commissioner Tony Wix and District 5 Commissioner Dan Hill were absent.

Commissioners approved the Parks & Recreation Plan.

BabyNov PILOT Request Denied

District 2 Commissioner Keith Newberry requested to discuss BabyNov’s PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) extension. A motion to extend was put on the table. Newberry reminded them before casting their vote about the past cause and effect of extension denial with Carter Automotive, where their request was denied, and they left. Before the vote was taken, Mayor Jones reminded Commissioners that they had helped Fleetwood like this before and shared that BabyNov is under pressure with their waste problems, resulting in hefty fines from the City of Red Boiling Springs. Macon County Sheriff Joey Wilburn shared that the County profited roughly $20-30k through the Work Release program with BabyNov, also recouping $10 every day for each inmate that works. The positive economic impact of BabyNov is estimated at $50-60k annually.

“I was against this (PILOT extension) until I did my research,” Commissioner Phillip Snow declared. “I based my previous no vote on hearing word that they mostly hire only immigrants,” District 7 Commissioner Jeff Hughes said.

Multiple tax discount scenarios for multiple years were discussed, and a motion to extend the same deal that is in place, starting the PILOT over again, was put up for a roll call vote, which tallied ten votes for and eight against. However, the motion did not pass because it needed at least eleven votes.

Voting not to extend: District 4 Commissioner Billy Wilmore, District 5 Commissioner Barry Marshall, District 6 Commissioner Michael Slayton, District 9 Commissioner Jarhea Wilmore, District 7 Commissioner Barry King, District 8 Commissioner Bobby Ray King, District 9 Commissioner Wendell Jones, and District 7 Commissioner Jeff Hughes, who announced after the votes were cast to please change his vote to yes. Voting yes to extend: District 1 Commissioner Phillip Snow, District 1 Commissioner Todd Gentry, District 2 Keith Newberry, District 2 Commissioner Mike Jenkins, District 3 Kevin Wooten, District 3 Commissioner Ethan Flippin, District 4 Commissioner Justin Dyer, District 8 Kyle Petty, District 10 Helen Hesson, and District 10 Commissioner Larry West.

Also, during the meeting, District 2 Commissioner Keith Newberry had requested to discuss oil and chipping the road on Chigger Hollow and painting the stripes/lines on Old Bottom Road. Macon County Road Supervisor Ben Cook estimated the oil and chipping to cost $82,950 and the striping to cost $29,920. The Highway Committee suggested it not be approved, and commissioners agreed. Mayor Jones shared it could be possible if it were budgeted in July.

The following were elected by acclamation in the Election of Notaries Public: Shelly D. Billenstein, Brenda G. Coley, Schnola Copas, Erik Hernandez, Jason L. Kirby, and Shannon Wright.

Reminders: The Budget Meetings are at 5 p.m. on March 24th and March 31 in the Administrative Building Meeting Room.

Committee of the Whole Meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Administrative Building Meeting Room.