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Florence residents oppose landfill expansion

By Margo Gray – bio | email

FLORENCE, AL (WAFF) - Dozens of residents in Florence had one message for city council members: stop dumping on us.

A controversial decision to expand the city landfill near a creek and over a golf course has residents tee'd off.

Many people at the meeting tonight wore a sticker stating, "Say no to dump, save Cypress Creek."

It's a stark contrast, the rolling hills of the Florence Golf and Country Club will soon become hills filled with waste.

The city of Florence decided to expand its current landfill next door by purchasing 147 acres of the course with a price tag of more than $2 million.

"We are terribly upset about it, we think it's a horrible plan," said Florence resident Scott Ruffrage.

Ruffrage's home borders the landfill, golf course and Cypress Creek.

That creek has become the central focus for many residents to say no to a dump.

"This is my dream and I just hate to see it spoiled," said Ruffrage.

"We have a very vital natural resource out there and in my opinion to use it as a landfill is a degradation of environment," he continued.

Some people even hoped harsh words would do the trick.

"If you feel like you have no common sense feel free to raise your hand at this time because I guarantee that if I ask anyone, 'would you like to put a dump next to a creek does that seem smart,' everybody is going to say, 'no,'" Ruffrage told the crowd.

Even with apparent opposition from the crowd, the council voted in favor of buying the land for a landfill.

Many residents believe storm water run off from the city dump has and will continue to contaminate Cypress Creek.

City Council President, James Barnhart said this process is two years in the making and environmental impact studies and permits meeting regulations have to be granted before anything goes forward.

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