Gardner Mayor Nicholson covers the Sludge Landfill issue – What’s Going Interview. Listen on any device. CLICK PLAY.
As City of Gardner Works with Consultants, Opponent to Sludge Landfill Expansion Speaks Up
Gardner Magazine received a Press Release from Ivan Ussach of the Millers River Watershed Council in which he criticizes the calculations of the City of Gardner, stating that the “miscalculations favor the sludge landfill expansion at the expense of more environmentally friendly opportunities.” Ussach states that the City’s faulty financial analyses are contained in a May 23, 2023 letter from DPW Director Dane Arnold to Mayor Michael Nicholson. View complete MRWC Press Release, CLICK HERE.
The City of Gardner estimates its disposal costs with Fitchburg to be over $1million annually if it were to go that route with Fitchburg or another facility – Ussach says calculations show a max of $435,000. Publisher’s Note: In truth, both are potentially wrong and here’s why: A true estimate can’t yet be made because Fitchburg doesn’t even know what to charge because negotiations with the company have yet to be finalized. Therefore an estimate on the higher side was simply being fiscally cautious and fiscal responsibility is something for which Gardner has received praise..
Ussach has stated that one solution is for the City of Gardner to become a customer of the City of Fitchburg which may construct a facility to treat sludge. A Fitchburg City Council meeting of December 19, 2023 (complete video link here) included a presentation and discussion on the subject in great detail. We have included the AUDIO of the meeting so you hear the facts for yourself. Listen on any device. CLICK PLAY.
Fitchburg began looking at the issue over a decade ago and the presentation within the meeting details those timelines. It is at the stage now where a company has been selected and approval of the Fitchburg Mayor and City Council is needed for the project to move forward. Facility cost is projected at $200 million. Construction would be projected to begin in late 2024 with completion in 2026. Even if in favor of contracting with Fitchburg, Gardner would need to determine if it may need an earlier solution. Whether or not to enter in to an agreement with Fitchburg would depend on the cost which currently is unknown, as Fitchburg itself is negotiating with the company regarding costs and revenue share of municipal agreements with other potential communities such as Gardner. In other words, Gardner can’t say yes or no yet to the idea because it doesn’t have all the facts yet.
Gardner Magazine asked Gardner Mayor Nicholson about the issue in a recent What’s Going on interview. CLICK HERE. In a nutshell, the Mayor indicated that all possibilities are being explored with the consultants hired by the City and that additional public input would be received as part of the ongoing review.