THE former Corowa Council made a “commercial in confidence” decision before being shut down to allow Cleanaway to investigate the Howlong tip as a suitable location for a compost plant.
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The revelation came during a heated community meeting attended by an estimated 120 people in Howlong on Thursday night when Cleanaway national project manager Mathew Kiervan and Federation Council administrator Mike Eden and general manger Chris Gillard attempted to placate residents about impacts of the proposal.
Former Corowa mayor Paul Miegel and ex-councillors Mark Shields and Fiona Schirmer attended the meeting.
Mr Miegel confirmed the decision to green light Cleanaway to look into the Howlong tip site wasn’t made in an open council meeting.
Corowa and Urana shires merged in May and Cleanaway released plans to build the compost facility on the outskirts of Howlong in late August.
A development application is still on track to be lodged before the end of the year.
Mr Gillard said the former council was approached by Cleanaway after it did some investigations on a range of sites, but stressed the Howlong site wasn’t a done deal.
“It made the decision that it was prepared to allow Cleanaway to make an application on the basis that it knew there was a whole rigorous process to go through,” he said.
“The council signed an agreement that the particular facility had to be in one of the council areas.
“To my recollection no one spoke against it with the exception of Joan Palmer.”
Cleanaway dumped plans to build the compost facility near Gerogery after a battle which ended up in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
Howlong residents were most concerned about the proximity of the facility to the town and existing residences near the tip and increased truck movements in the town.
“We have to show you where the trucks are going to go and what effect they will have on intersections,” Mr Kiervan said.
Howlong resident Mick Woodall greeted the Federation Council representatives at the meeting with a sign expressing his displeasure at the proposed facility.
“It is going to stink and pollute the ground water and will probably eventually get into the river,” he said.
“The fight has only just started.”