The RM of LeRoy is saying they need more time and answers from the Regional Authority of Carlton Trail board before they approve or say no way to a new landfill on a plot of land within the municipality.

The quarter of land is located on lot SW31-35-21 W2M.

Over the past week a pair of public meetings has been held, one was Wednesday night at the LeRoy Wildlife Hall where about 70 people attended. A smaller crowd but just as vocal showed up to a public hearing on Tuesday at the RM office during a council meeting.

After hearing concerns from ten presenters council closed the doors and pondered the future landfill site.

"There is a concern about the handling of the garbage and wind. The water flow around it, we want to take another look at this to make sure the right decision is made," explained Reeve Jerry McGrath Wednesday morning.

REACT was represented by Chair of the board, Leon Fleischacker plus the CEO, Wanda Yaworski.

Following the public hearing, Fleischacker spoke regarding some of the neighbouring land owners concerns.

"The new landfill will have three to five layers of trees around it, it will be fenced. Each time you open a new cell there will be a ten to 12 foot meshed fence directly around the cell to make sure as much garbage stays in as possible."

Landowners however aren't buying much of what REACT is saying. Their machinery and land values are in the path of perhaps mechanical issues or land devaluation.

"They've looked at a number of spots and they've come down to where they feel the best spot is," McGrath continued. "If it's in this municipality council respects their decision. The process now is to make sure that it's done in a way the rate payers will accept it."

A list of about 20 landowners were originally contacted from the region, REACT covers 17 municipalities in all. Of those 20 that attended a meeting, only two people showed interest in selling, one owning the proposed site. However it's the adjacent owners putting up the largest stink for lack of a better term.

"This is not going to be rubber stamped," added McGrath. "The conditions will be dealt with, we'll move on as we get these conditions dealt with and either there will be a site there or there won't be, that is not determined yet."

One of the main reasons the site must move from it's current location just south of Humboldt is the water. That alone is enough for the site, which was constructed in 1976 to fail new environmental regulations.

Fleischacker believes they have that covered as well.

"The site will be bermed around the outside, there will be a ditch around the outside so that no water from the surrounding land will run onto the land and anything on our site will be held in four holding ponds and there will be one leachate pond."

The leachate pond is lined and is used to store contaminated water.

The site is planned to have 31 different cells, each lasting about three years, in all the landfill should serve the region for a century.

McGrath said they likely won't revisit the issue until their June meeting, he stated being a farming community they will all be busy with seeding operations and he wants his councilors to be focused on making the best decision possible for their tax payers.

Fleischacker said if it isn't approved, it's back to the drawing board.

"If they don't allow it here REACT will have to start the process again and look for another quarter."

The Humboldt site could still be used for a few more years but Fleischacker, who is a member of Humboldt's council says they hope to relocate as soon as possible.

You can hear more both Fleischacker and McGrath below in their interviews with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.