SALEM VOTES TO JOIN SMITH GAP LANDFILL

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 11, 1992                   TAG: 9202110306
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
SALEM VOTES TO JOIN SMITH GAP LANDFILL
A fourth Roanoke Valley locality has agreed to join the regional body that will own and operate the new regional landfill at Smith Gap in western Roanoke County.
Salem City Council on Monday authorized city staff to work up a contractual agreement with the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority, created by Roanoke, Vinton and Roanoke County.
Salem and county officials were touting the move Monday as evidence of cooperation between valley governments.
Salem City Manager Randy Smith said the city's decision to join "is another sign of close cooperation between governments."
County Administrator Elmer Hodge said Monday that he was "delighted to have yet another opportunity to cooperate regionally with some of the other valley governments."
He added that "I think it gives us a stronger bond market when we go to the market by having Salem as a member."
An estimated $30 million bond issue will be needed to finance the landfill and garbage transfer station.
Salem will pay the authority a one-time fee of $603,597 to join the authority and use the landfill, Smith said. The city will pay a periodic dumping fee.
Smith said the city intends to continue using its incinerator and operate its landfill in Mowles Spring Park. The city will use the regional facility primarily for disposal of construction debris and waste from commercial haulers, he said.
For several years, Salem and Roanoke County have operated an exchange in which the city sends construction debris to the existing regional landfill and allows the county to truck in debris for burning at the Salem incinerator.
Smith said he hoped that exchange would continue until the new landfill begins operating, scheduled for on or after January 1994.
Montgomery County has yet to decide on joining the authority and using the new landfill.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB