The City of Cullman has solidified its role in the 50/50 partnership with the Cullman County Commission to purchase the Cullman County Landfill.

One week after the commission approved a non-binding agreement outlining its role in the purchase, the Cullman City Council mirrored those efforts during its meeting on Monday, July 24, to finalize the partnership between the two municipal bodies.

Mayor Woody Jacobs described his initial hesitation to purchasing the landfill when he was first approached by the owner of Cullman Environmental, Inc., Bill St. John, who announced his intent to sell the property after his 30-year lease agreement with the city and county expired Oct. 1 of this year. He said after further conversations with the city’s Sanitation Superintendent, Sam Dillender, he was able to realize the benefits a not-for-profit municipally controlled facility would have for area residents.

“This is going to be a city/county thing, and it should be. There’s garbage everywhere,” Jacobs said.

Councilman Clint Hollingsworth echoed the mayor’s statement saying, “Anytime the city and the county can come together … it’s a win for the taxpayers and the residents.”

One of the main goals of the partnership is to prevent an outside company from purchasing the landfill, which would likely result in drastic price increases being passed along to residents. According to city officials, since negotiations began, Cullman Environmental has been approached by multiple private companies expressing interest in acquiring the property. The local owners of the company have maintained their desire to place control of the facility in the hands of local governments in order to keep disposal rates low.

The council also approved Jacobs to match the commission’s initial $650,000 good-faith payment toward the estimated $27 million overall cost of the property. Additional funds will come from a pair of $14 million municipal bonds issued to the city and county separately. Any of the city’s initial expenses related to the acquisition will be reimbursed from the proceeds of this bond.

The city also approved its role in the formation of the Solid Waste Disposal Authority which, when finalized, will take over the staffing and personnel duties at the landfill. The council nominated Jacobs and councilmember Johnny Cook, chairman of the city’s Public Works Committee, to serve alongside the county’s representatives — County Commissioner Jeff Clemons and Associate Commissioner Corey Freeman.

While none of the board members are to be compensated, Cook chose to abstain from the vote of his nomination.

The SWDA will have 90 days to unanimously appoint a fifth board member. If all four members are unable to reach a decision within this timeframe, a three-to-one majority will be required.