MATT BUTTON | AEGIS STAFF

A solid waste transfer station has been proposed on the Plecker property on Route 7 in Joppa. Several Harford County Council members are concerned about the procedures behind the proposed waste transfer station, and Councilman Dion Guthrie said Tuesday he expected to introduce amendments to remove the project from the capital budget proposed for 2013.

Effort continuing to derail Joppa waste transfer station

BY BRYNA ZUMER bzumer@theaegis.com

Several Harford County Council members remain concerned about the process behind the proposed waste transfer station in Joppa. Councilman Dion Guthrie said Tuesday he expected to introduce amendments during that evenings council meeting to remove the transfer facility from the capital budget proposed for 2013. He and Councilman Joe Woods had also said earlier they wanted an investigation into the process that went into Harford County Executive David Craigs decision to build the $3.5 million facility. They are still discussing possibilities with the attorney generals office, Guthrie said, explaining he could not say any more. We have had some discussions and they are looking into it, Guthrie said, declining to elaborate. The already-contentious project became even more convoluted when Guthrie and Woods met with Col. Orlando Ortiz, garrison commander of Aberdeen Proving Ground, at the end of April. According to the councilmen, Ortiz, who is retiring this summer, said it was the countys decision to pull out of a waste disposal agreement with the Army. Craig replied then that Guthrie and Woods were re-interpreting that conversation for political

purposes, and that the Army and the county had come to a mutual decision. The transfer station was also prominent during the councils first budget hearing two weeks ago. About 100 people attended the hearing at Bel Air High School to protest the project, with Guthrie and Woods wearing T-shirts in support of the protesters. On Tuesday, another councilman, Dick Slutzky, said he thinks more analysis of what went on behind the scenes is needed. Theres been a lot of what I would call he said, she said, and a lot of hyperbole involved with this whole situation, Slutzky said. He said the situation requires a serious, in-depth investigation, adding that with such a sensitive issue, Harford residents deserve to have the confidence of knowing their elected officials did all the necessary research on their behalf. Slutzky said the councils current slate, with the budget process and the controversial fire and emergency medical service commission, is keeping all the council members very busy. Most of us are under the same gun right now, he said, explaining that any transfer station investigation might have to wait. I think when the dust clears from this budget process, there will be more time for everyone to

get more involved, he said. Right now, theres a lot of other things on the plate.

For more on the debate and action from Tuesdays council meeting, please see www.exploreharford.com