Letter to the Editor: A vote 'Yes' is the best choice for all of us

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Steve Mc Cargar of Decorah):

"Some of us are old enough to remember back in the mid-eighties when Winneshiek County was confronted with the opportunity to purchase what is now the Winneshiek County landfill. The previous owner had entered into a sales agreement with Waste Management, Inc. for them to purchase the landfill, but the county had a contractual 'right of first refusal' to match Waste Management's offer and to purchase the land on the county's behalf.

A citizen's group was formed ('Citizens for Responsible Waste Alternatives') and we lobbied the County Board of Supervisors to encourage the county to do just that. At a public hearing in the large courtroom over 150 people jammed into the space and every speaker except for the WMI rep argued for public ownership of the landfill. In a moment of high drama as I was reading a long list of felony convictions for Waste Management employees and criminal convictions for pollution violations by the company, my two-year-old daughter climbed out of my wife's lap and paddled down the middle aisle to grab my knee and hold on tight until I was finished speaking. Shortly thereafter, the Board of Supervisors voted to exercise the option and they bought the property.

Since that time the county has managed the landfill operation essentially as a public utility and the benefits that accrue to all county residents are significant. The capacity of the landfill cells and the life of the landfill have been extended well beyond original estimates and the county has developed a successful municipal recycling program that has diverted thousands of tons of reusable 'waste' into the recycling stream.

All of this has happened at a cost savings to taxpayers and with no profiteering by corporate owners or shareholders who live somewhere else. We've also controlled to some degree the kinds of waste coming into the facility and have limited the geographic area from which the waste is generated. This whole process should remind us that communities that want to control their own destinies can do so, in part, by owning and operating public services for the well-being of their residents.

Don't be fooled by Alliant's scare tactics and self-serving cost estimates. A 'Yes' vote on May 1st opens the books and enables the city of Decorah to make an informed decision. It's the best choice for all of us."