Football fever has four sets of football
fans in a cold sweat over which college will win the national championship. In the competition among Georgia, Oklahoma,
Alabama and Clemson, there will be winners and losers. And on Jan. 8—when the clock clicks down to
zero in Atlanta—there will be just one winner for 2018. That’s the way the playoff system works.
On
New Year’s Day, I’m looking forward to sitting in the Rose Bowl to see whether
my alma mater will be one of the two vying at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan.
8. But first things first, Georgia must
beat Heisman winner Baker Mayfield and his University of Oklahoma Sooners.
And
as excited as I am about the possibilities of both games, I am more interested
in what’s underway in Wayne County. As I
write this, I have no idea of the outcome of the initial discussion with
Republic Services. I do know this: A
journey around the earth starts with the first step. Tuesday morning’s discussion between the
Solid Waste Authority and our private landfill operation was a good start,
albeit a late start.
For
23 months, the back-and-forth conversations have had multiple Maalox moments. Wayne County citizens have made it clear: “We
don’t want the risk of more toxic coal ash polluting our sensitive
environment. The wetlands are here for a
purpose. Don’t destroy any more of
them. We may not be able to do anything
about the 800,000 tons already dumped on us, but that’s enough. No more!”
And Republic’s response has been along these lines: “We have a contract
to do business. We are professionals. We know what we are doing. You shouldn’t worry. Besides, we want to be your ‘good
neighbors.’”
You
know how I feel.
My opinion
mirrors the vast majority: “We do not
want more toxic coal ash dumped in Wayne County. Our future safety is not for sale.”
So, does that
mean—like football—there has to be a winner and a loser in this debate?
I think
not.
A win-win is
the only way Republic and the rest of
us can exist with good-neighbor relations.
In its current contract, Republic has another 37 years. Many of us won’t be around that long, but
there are plenty of passionate people to fill our shoes. Wouldn’t it be to Republic’s advantage to
have the community as a helpful partner rather than a warring adversary?
I think so.
The companies
producing toxic coal ash should deal with it themselves, rather than dumping it
on others. Republic, as a good neighbor,
should not sacrifice our safety by profiting from this poisonous waste. Instead, Republic should focus on profit
potential from possibilities such as recycling and selling of methane gas. There are ways to grow and make money without
environmental hazards.
Republic “talks
the talk” about being a good neighbor.
Now, it’s time—on both sides—to “walk the walk.”
The first step
in that “walk” is to focus on a win-win solution.
This isn’t
football.
We don’t have
to declare a loser in these crucial negotiations.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com
