New details indicate trash transfer station at former Hartco site was never close to a completed deal
Brewco offers insight on its stance on the property it owns with the Industrial Development Board of Scott County through a lease-purchase agreement
ONEIDA | As details have continued to come to light regarding a much-discussed trash transfer station at the former Hartco flooring plant in downtown Oneida, it appears that such a facility was never as close to becoming reality as rumors that have circulated in recent days seemed to indicate.
In a statement to the Independent Herald Thursday afternoon, one of the current owners of the former Hartco plant — Brewco — said that it met with landfill developer Knox Horner but had committed to nothing and was not close to doing so.
“As for the rumors about a trash transfer station, Brewco did meet with Knox Horner some time ago as a professional courtesy,” the company said in its statement. “However, we made no contractual commitments and had no intentions of moving forward without more clarity and due diligence. The process never proceeded to any formal agreement nor was approval sought or given by relevant governmental entities.
“While there have been ongoing discussions about the rail spur for a transfer station, those conversations were initiated and led by Mr. Horner — not Brewco,” the statement added.
Brewco entered into a lease-purchase agreement on the Hartco site two years ago with the Industrial Development Board of Scott County.
As part of the process of building a transfer station at the former Hartco site, Horner would have had to have gone through a series of steps: obtaining permission from Norfolk-Southern, reaching an agreement with Brewco, and because of Brewco’s lease-purchase agreement with the Industrial Development Board of Scott County, reaching an agreement with the IDB.
Greg Jeffers, chairman of the IDB, confirmed to the IH Thursday that no proposal from Horner had ever reached the body.
“It never, ever came before the ID Board,” Jeffers said. “No proposal was made to the ID Board because it hadn’t got that far. It would have had to go through so many other steps.”
It appears to have been doubtful that the transfer station proposal would have made it past Norfolk-Southern. In the unlikely event that it made it as far as the IDB, it does not appear that it would have passed that step, based on comments that have been made to the IH.
Horner, who is in the process of purchasing approximately 700 acres of property adjacent to the existing Volunteer Regional Landfill at Bear Creek for the purposes of leasing a new Class I landfill, told the IH Tuesday morning that he had reconsidered the transfer station after listening to public comments made at Monday’s Scott County Commission meeting.
In an email Thursday afternoon, Horner reiterated that the transfer station at the former Hartco site is no longer on the table.
Brewco likewise said that it had been informed by Horner that he’s no longer interested in exploring that option.
“Brewco was informed this week by Mr. Horner that they have no interest in future discussions for use of this property,” the company said. “Brewco also wishes to clarify that it has no interest in any future Garbage Transfer Station or in the existing and proposed landfills. It is totally focused on the development of the Tibbals property.”
In its statement, Brewco said that it will continue to work with the IDB for a positive future at the Hartco site.
“Brewco entered into a lease with option to purchase agreement on land currently owned by the Scott County Industrial Development Board two years ago,” the company said. “Together, Brewco and the IDB have been focused on developing the site into something that benefits the community — such as warehouse space, office buildings, assisting local industry growth, and tourism-related uses. Because the site was historically an industrial area, Brewco is also working hand-in-hand with the IDB and TDEC through the Tennessee Brownfields Program to ensure the land is environmentally safe and responsibly redeveloped. Brewco would NOT welcome any operation that would jeopardize our environmental efforts or become a public nuisance to the development of existing tenants or neighbors.”
Brewco’s complete statement follows:
