Taylor said the plan is structured to address the backlog in Southeast Arkansas tire processing and resulting health and environmental concerns.

“For human health and the environment, we’re looking at getting these tires off the ground,” Taylor said. “There’s been almost two full quarters that tires have not been picked up. We’re getting lots of calls that tires are stacking up all over the district.”

The plan proposes increasing the reimbursement rate per tire from $2.90 to $4.84 in District 4, which encompasses Southeast Arkansas. Taylor said this increase is based on administrative, processing and transportation costs, including costs for an out-of-state contracted processor.

Taylor said she recommended the plan only be approved temporarily for one or two quarters to establish a collector, transporter and processor to manage the tires in Southeast Arkansas. Then, she said, they would evaluate how to save costs and return with a revised plan.

“We’re hopeful that with just a quarter that they can pick up the backlog and also what is produced this quarter,” Taylor said. “And then go out for bid at a much more reasonable rate.”

However, Justin Sparrow, director of the West River Valley Solid Waste District in Clarksville, Arkansas, said this plan may do more harm than good.

“My major concern with the proposed reimbursement rate for UTP-4 being $4.84 is that this will quickly deplete a fund that is already in the red,” Sparrow said. “By statute, once that money runs out, DEQ has to prorate what they send out to all four districts.”

Prorate is a verb, meaning to allocate or distribute funds pro rata, or proportionally. Taylor said she wants to avoid prorating if possible.

Sparrow said if the fund runs out, the other three districts will feel the effect. 

Sparrow operates in District 1, Northwest Arkansas, where the reimbursement rate is $2.82 per tire. He said his district collects and processes 360,000 tires annually from 11 counties.

“I think UTP-4 should probably reopen the bid process and take another look at this before this commission approves a rate of $4.84,” Sparrow said.

Following Sparrow’s comments, PC&EC Chair Al Eckert III asked Taylor if the new reimbursement rate would result in a quicker shortfall, or deficit.

Taylor said they already see a shortfall between $300,000 and $400,000 every quarter with the current rates. She said any reimbursement rate over $2.31 per tire will result in a shortfall and the new rate would contribute to an extra $150,000 deficit for two quarters. 

Charlie Spakes, district 4 commission member, said the out-of-state contractor might be taking advantage of the situation. 

“It just seems like the cost is way higher, they have us kind of over a barrel where we have to get these tires picked up and they kind of have us hostage at this $4.90, compared to everyone else,” Spakes said.

Taylor said while the processing cost per tire is higher than other districts, the extra transportation cost inflates the rate much more.

Once the discussion concluded, the PC&EC passed a minute order adopting the business plan.

In other business, Angela Russell, mayor of Tontitown, Arkansas, continued asking the commission for help with her city.

Tontitown citizens and government officials, including Russell, have attended several PC&EC meetings to seek help regarding declining air quality from the nearby Eco-Vista Landfill.

Russell said she will keep voicing her concerns and asking for stricter rules or regulations. She said if something catastrophic does happen, someone will be held accountable. 

“I want it recorded that citizens have come here to ask for help,” Russell said. “Nothing has been done to alleviate the problem.”

She said her grandson has made multiple hospital visits as a result of the dangerous fumes emitted from the landfill. 

“I myself have had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night because I woke up and the fumes were so strong in my bedroom I couldn’t breathe,” Russell said.

After the mayor’s comments, Eckert asked Taylor to address Russell’s concerns and prepare an update for the next meeting.

The PC&EC will meet again at 10 a.m. March 27, in the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Commission Room. Meetings are also livestreamed on YouTube.