Countywide buys more property
BY Robert Wang
The Canton Repository
PIKE TWP - Despite facing possible closure, Countywide landfill is so optimistic it will operate for decades, it bought 57 acres of adjoining land for $960,000 in December.
Will Flower, a spokesman for Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility and its owner Republic Services of Ohio, said Thursday that the land will serve as an additional buffer between the landfill and its neighbors.
"We like to have as much space as we can between the landfill and any resident. ... we're interested in running a landfill that does not present any issues for any neighbors," he said, adding that buying buffer land is a common waste-industry practice. "Buffer properties to Republic are valuable because we have control over who our neighbors are. We like control over as much property as possible."
According to Stark County auditor's office records, Republic paid $560,000 to buy a log home on about 23 acres to the north of the landfill at 3828 Haut St. SW. The sellers were James D. Davis, a member of the Pike Township Zoning Commission, and his wife Terri, who's blasted the landfill at public hearings, complaining about light, noise and dust coming from the facility. The three-bedroom home was built in 1991, the year Countywide started operating, and the auditor's office valued it at about $294,000 when it was sold.
HOME OWNERS SELL
Terri Davis declined to comment, referring questions to her husband, who did not return a call seeking comment Thursday.
Republic also bought about 34 acres at 3830 Haut St. SW from Homer and Julia Collins. The landfill paid $400,000 for the land and 49-year-old ranch home. The auditor's office appraised the entire property at $213,500. The Collinses could not be located.
Both properties were sold Dec. 15, the state-mandated deadline for the landfill to resolve its chronic odor problems. More than two months later, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday recommended that the Stark County Health Department deny granting the landfill an annual operating license. The agency said the landfill, despite its efforts, had failed to get rid of the odors and address a possible underground landfill fire.
HOME BOUGHT IN 2005
The land transfers took place more than a year after Republic bought a 47-year-old ranch home on nearly 37 acres, just down the street from the Davis and Collins homes. In September 2005, the landfill paid $500,000 for the property at 3640 Downing St. SW. The auditor's office valued it at $272,200.
Pike Township Trustee Lee Strad said Bob and Nancy Baroni lived at that location and were the sellers. They could not be reached for comment.
Flower said Republic will keep the three homes, so they can be rented by Countywide employees.
He added that all the couples approached Republic, offering to sell their land, as early as five years ago. Negotiations were off and on, before Republic felt it had the cash available. Both Flower and Strad said, as far as they know, the three properties are the only residential ones bordering the landfill.
Though the purchase prices were significantly more than the auditor's assessed value, Flower said Republic paid fair market price. The spokesman added that the purchase of the Davis property had nothing to do with Terri Davis' complaints about the landfill.
"If we did that, we'd be buying everybody's home who's a member of (the activist group) Club 3000," he said. "We have no intention of doing that."
The Canton Repository
PIKE TWP - Despite facing possible closure, Countywide landfill is so optimistic it will operate for decades, it bought 57 acres of adjoining land for $960,000 in December.
Will Flower, a spokesman for Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility and its owner Republic Services of Ohio, said Thursday that the land will serve as an additional buffer between the landfill and its neighbors.
"We like to have as much space as we can between the landfill and any resident. ... we're interested in running a landfill that does not present any issues for any neighbors," he said, adding that buying buffer land is a common waste-industry practice. "Buffer properties to Republic are valuable because we have control over who our neighbors are. We like control over as much property as possible."
According to Stark County auditor's office records, Republic paid $560,000 to buy a log home on about 23 acres to the north of the landfill at 3828 Haut St. SW. The sellers were James D. Davis, a member of the Pike Township Zoning Commission, and his wife Terri, who's blasted the landfill at public hearings, complaining about light, noise and dust coming from the facility. The three-bedroom home was built in 1991, the year Countywide started operating, and the auditor's office valued it at about $294,000 when it was sold.
HOME OWNERS SELL
Terri Davis declined to comment, referring questions to her husband, who did not return a call seeking comment Thursday.
Republic also bought about 34 acres at 3830 Haut St. SW from Homer and Julia Collins. The landfill paid $400,000 for the land and 49-year-old ranch home. The auditor's office appraised the entire property at $213,500. The Collinses could not be located.
Both properties were sold Dec. 15, the state-mandated deadline for the landfill to resolve its chronic odor problems. More than two months later, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday recommended that the Stark County Health Department deny granting the landfill an annual operating license. The agency said the landfill, despite its efforts, had failed to get rid of the odors and address a possible underground landfill fire.
HOME BOUGHT IN 2005
The land transfers took place more than a year after Republic bought a 47-year-old ranch home on nearly 37 acres, just down the street from the Davis and Collins homes. In September 2005, the landfill paid $500,000 for the property at 3640 Downing St. SW. The auditor's office valued it at $272,200.
Pike Township Trustee Lee Strad said Bob and Nancy Baroni lived at that location and were the sellers. They could not be reached for comment.
Flower said Republic will keep the three homes, so they can be rented by Countywide employees.
He added that all the couples approached Republic, offering to sell their land, as early as five years ago. Negotiations were off and on, before Republic felt it had the cash available. Both Flower and Strad said, as far as they know, the three properties are the only residential ones bordering the landfill.
Though the purchase prices were significantly more than the auditor's assessed value, Flower said Republic paid fair market price. The spokesman added that the purchase of the Davis property had nothing to do with Terri Davis' complaints about the landfill.
"If we did that, we'd be buying everybody's home who's a member of (the activist group) Club 3000," he said. "We have no intention of doing that."
