VANDERBURGH COUNTY, In. (WEHT) — Whether people were at the podium voicing their concerns and questions or voicing them from their seats

“It’s a victory for the people ok,” said Jerry Skinner, who lives near the landfill. “It’s also a victory for us but the people in our neighborhood. The city of Evansville and Vanderburgh County.”

Whether people were at the podium voicing their concerns and questions or voicing them from their seats, a lot was discussed at the board of zoning appeals meeting.

For residents who were in attendance and live near the Laubscher Meadows landfill they were able to get a win as the petition for poultry waste going to the landfill was removed by Republic Services.

“It was great, I think they realized that the people weren’t going to lay on our backs and take a beating,” Skinner explained. “That’s what they do in the past, they put the meeting late in the evening and all that stuff. It didn’t work out this time. the people came together. That showed the people have the power,” he added.

In addition to the poultry issue, a 10 year permit extension for the landfill was lowered to five and though that is an additional win to some, many residents still have some concerns.

“We think this impacts a lot larger area than just the immediate area surrounding the landfill,” James Woodard, a resident who lives near the landfill said. “I don’t know that’ it’s in Vanderburgh County’s best interest to take everybody else’s garbage from the additional 10 counties.”

With some residents speaking on concerns of the smell the landfill presents and say they waste is not being covered as much as it should be.

“We had pictures were they jump dumped openly and left it,” Woodard explained. “Departed the cell and they only partially covered it. We submitted that as a picture but I’m not sure that it got the attention. It’s still go enormous amounts of garbage not covered where they’ve went and worked and moved outside the public eye.”

Increased wildlife, buzzards and potential health hazards were also brought up during the meeting as issues that residents say still needs to be faced.