The county and city are heading to a partnership on a proposed solid waste transfer station.

Now the interim city manager and county manager must get together to hash out proposals.

The county is expected to discuss what comes next at a July 19 meeting of the county commissioners at 6:30 p.m., board Chair James Pierce said following tonight's city council meeting.

Those questions include how the transfer station would be governed and how it will be controlled.

Pierce said it does appear now the county landfill site in Aurelian Springs will be the best choice for the site. “I think that's the best of the four sites in my mind.”

The only thing that could change now is if Waste Industries, who had a representative attending tonight's council meeting, comes up with a better proposal. “It's all about lowering the cost of our trash collection,” Pierce said.

Negotiations with Waste Industries have all but stymied, Pierce has said in past board meetings. “We've got to get moving. We've got 21 months to build a facility.”

Councilman Carl Ferebee said, “I look at this as a good start. I look forward to working with the county on this project.”

Councilman Ed Liverman said this is a project the city needs to move forward with while Ernest Bobbitt said the bodies need to look at what the business plan will be. He also said the city must look at what the costs would be.

While there was no public hearing on the matter tonight, Mayor Emery Doughtie allowed David Harvey, president of the county chapter of the NAACP, to speak.

Harvey had signed up to speak during the unscheduled comments section of the meeting, but deferred until discussion of the transfer station.

In his comments, Harvey chastised the city for partnering with the county on the transfer station while not partnering with the county on the issue of school merger. “You've got a nice site over there at the Patterson site,” saying later the taxpayers of the city should have to fund all costs of transfer station if it is built in the county.

Harvey called the school merger issue the biggest issue. “Children in Carl Ferebee's district can't even attend school in the (Roanoke Rapids) district.”