The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has introduced a bond ordinance that, if adopted, will appropriate $7.55 million for improvements at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center, Tinton Falls.
The bond ordinance was introduced during the freeholders’ meeting on Feb. 19 in Freehold Borough. Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone, Deputy Director Patrick Impreveduto, Freeholder Lillian Burry, Freeholder Sue Kiley and Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger voted to introduce the ordinance.
The bond ordinance may be adopted following a public hearing in March. A minimum of four votes will be needed to adopt the ordinance.
No down payment will be required to cover a portion of the appropriation. The entire $7.55 million will be authorized in bonds or notes, according to the ordinance.
The improvements at the reclamation center will include, but are not limited to, renovations to the materials recovery processing facility building; improvements to the leachate plant; the installation of wells; the installation of an odor control system; and the installation of environmental high density polyethylene caps, according to the ordinance.
The improvements at the county landfill have been proposed by the freeholders in the wake of a situation that came to light at the beginning of 2019.
At that time, residents of Tinton Falls and other municipalities began reporting that a strong, uncontrolled odor was coming from the landfill and having a negative impact on their quality of life. Residents said the odor was persistent and could be detected in their homes.
Following initial reports of the situation, county officials held a town hall meeting during which they acknowledged that a short-term construction project at the landfill had caused the significant and very noticeable change in the odors that sometimes emanate from the reclamation center.
As the freeholders prepared to introduce the bond ordinance on Feb. 19, Arnone said, “We have taken a hard-line approach to taking corrective action (at the reclamation center). We are being transparent and giving information to residents. We are fixing the problem. It’s going to take a little time, but we have seen an improvement. It is our job to make sure we get that odor gone.”
The Monmouth County Reclamation Center, Asbury Avenue, Tinton Falls, accepts waste from the county’s 53 municipalities.