Northampton’s City Council is holding a special meeting on September 24. This meeting will address issues surrounding a possible expansion of the municipal landfill. Concerned citizens are urged to attend.
Below is the official agenda. You may download PDFs of the ballot question to be considered (21KB), the ordinance change sponsored by Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz (204KB), and the ordinance change sponsored by the Planning Board (85KB).
See also:
Video: City Council Meeting of 9/17/09; Special Clips: Susco/Higgins/Bardsley, LaBarge/Spector
[Ward 6 City Councilor Marianne] LaBarge: “This gag order – I think that could be challenged in court. I have not heard of one city…ever placing a gag order on a city council… I feel it’s our job to take and do the tough decisions here, on voting on this special permit… Election time or not…”
Springfield Republican: “Landfill and politics dominate in ‘Hamp” (9/19/09)
On its Thursday agenda, the council had scheduled two important items regarding the proposed expansion of the Glendale Road facility. One concerned the wording of a nonbinding question that would appear on the November ballot along with a citizens’ initiative about the fate of the expansion. The other focused on how the council should handle its responsibility to decide whether to grant a special permit for the project…
Gazette: “Landfill question on ballot – take 2” (9/18/09)
The City Council Thursday approved placing a second nonbinding question about the city’s landfill expansion before voters in November – but many councilors did so with the knowledge that they could modify or kill the idea at a special meeting next week.
The question, approved by a 5-3 vote on first reading, states: “The Board of Public Works received a waiver from the Department of Environmental Protection to expand the landfill on Glendale Road, which will reach capacity around 2011 and close. Should the Northampton landfill be expanded?”
Video: City Council Meeting of 9/3/09; Landfill Issues
Water Not Waste Achieves Ballot Question Signature Goal
Ordinance Committee Recommendations on Competing Heavy Public Use Ordinances (9/15/09)
Video: Ordinance Committee Meeting of 9/14/09; Heavy Public Uses, Landfill Ballot Questions
Video: Planning Board Meeting of 9/10/09; Heavy Public Use Ordinance Options
Gazette: “Planners ask council to keep permit authority” (9/11/09)
Videos: Planning Board Meeting of 8/13/09; Special Permits for Heavy Public Uses
Video: Solid Waste Management Alternatives Study – Informational Meeting of 9/14/09
Video: Landfill Options – Public Information Meeting of 8/17/09
Department of Public Works: Landfill Documents
Paradise City Forum: Landfill and Aquifer