Public hearing held for Medina County's solid waste plan update

MEDINA — Only one public comment was made on Medina County's solid waste plan update, and it was not from Brunswick. The Medina County Solid Waste District's solid waste management plan is rewritten every five years and projects 15 years out. The commissioners held a public hearing for the plan on Wednesday. Medina County Solid Waste District Director Barbara Walton said the public comment period for the plan ran from August through Sept. 30. The only public comment came from the mayor of Spencer. "They no longer have a drop-off location in their town, and he wanted to know why it was still in the plan," she said. "The reason why was because we're using 2023 data, and the site was actually there until 2024, so we just made sure that we changed the current outlook on it as being no longer there." In July, the Solid Waste Policy Committee voted to submit a version of the plan that does not waive Brunswick from flow control for public comment. The flow control requirement in the county's solid waste plan requires all county waste to go to the processing facility in Seville. Brunswick previously announced it would veto the plan unless it is guaranteed a waiver from flow control. Commissioner Steve Hambley said the county knows where Brunswick stands on this issue, and other Medina County communities had a chance to share their viewpoint. "At this point, most that I know of are satisfied with our operations," he said. "Many are thrilled with the operations we have in Westfield, and I think we have a system that works and is affordable." A policy committee meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at the solid waste district at 8730 Lake Road in Seville. "Perhaps the reason we don't see more people here, and we haven't seen more comments, is because we've taken a little bit more of a proactive process with the technical advisory committee and things like that," Commissioner Aaron Harrison said. "We kind of know where people come down on some of these things, so maybe that's something we remember next time around. I hope that it's a product of people feeling like they've had the opportunity to weigh in." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at 330-721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.