COVINGTON, Ga. – The Newton County Board of Commissioners (BOC) voted Tuesday night at a special called meeting to amend its intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Newton County Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA), and sell the county landfill and convenience centers.

After a public hearing on both issues elicited no comment from the public, the BOC voted 3-1 to amend the IGA to require the authority to pay the debt service on the largest portion of the $25 million SWMA bond issuance. The county will assume responsibility for the portion of the bonds, approximately $3.2 million, going toward refinancing an existing GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Loan) made for purposes of improving the county landfill in 2010.

According to the document, the SWMA will use funds generated by tipping fees at the landfill and other revenue sources, after operating expenses, to pay the debt service.

District 4 Commissioner J.C. Henderson cast the dissenting vote.

Commissioners also voted to sell the county landfill and nine of the 11 currently operating convenience centers to the SWMA.

The center at 325 Dial Mill Road was excluded after District 3 Commissioner Nancy Schulz pointed out that the site also contains a polling place. The center at 11575 Covington Bypass Road was excluded because the site also contains a fire station.

After July 1, the SWMA will continue to operate convenience centers at Adams Circle, Stone Road, Stewart, Piper Road-36 and Oak Hill. The five centers will accept household trash, recyclables, bulk waste and yard waste. The fee for the hang tag to use them is $145.

The Bypass convenience center will remain open for recycling and yard waste. The hangtag for that center costs $24. Tags can be purchased at the Newton County Historic Courthouse.

Commissioners Edwards, Schulz and Cowan voted to approve the sale of the property, with Henderson voting no.