Special session held on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

 

During the special session held on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., the Pocahontas County Solid Waste Authority (SWA) convened to discuss critical transitions for the county's waste management system. Because of high public interest, the meeting was held in the Circuit Courtroom and drew approximately 50 attendees.

Key events and topics from the meeting included:

• Landfill Closure Announcement: The SWA officially announced that the "last day" for the current county landfill would likely be in December 2026.
• Finalizing Ordinances: The board and their attorney, David Sims, spent the meeting finalizing the language for the updated Mandatory Disposal Regulations. This included taking action on the highly controversial "Flow Control" ordinance, the finalization of the "Option 4" lease-to-own agreement with Allegheny Disposal for the new transfer station, and discussing the exact mechanics of how to pay the new $16,759 monthly lease.
• Fee Expansions and Service Cuts: The agenda covered impending cuts to the state-mandated "Free Day" regulations, altering disposal policies for household furnishings, and strategies for future "Green Box" operations. This included the debate over expanding the Green Box fee to cover all deeded properties in the county to help cover the new transfer station's costs.
• Exclusion of Public Comment: Notably, the SWA deliberately excluded a slot for public comment from the meeting's agenda, a move that further frustrated citizens who were already outraged by the authority's secretive decision-making process and impending fee hikes.

(Note: The Pocahontas County Commission also held a separate special meeting earlier that same morning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss appointing a replacement for recently resigned SWA board member Ed Riley.)