Licensing process needs more openness
The Canton Repository
PLAIN TWP - If you had an interest in the future of the Countywide landfill, did you learn all you wished to know about what went into the decision of the Stark County Board of Health last week to keep the landfill open? Or did you find the process less sensitive to the need for thorough public understanding of this important issue than it could be?
Because Health Commissioner William Franks indicates that he is simply following Ohio law, we challenge state legislators to revisit the law.
Franks, charged with making a recommendation to his board about whether to renew the troubled landfill's operating license, invited everyone who believed he or she had relevant information to send it to him, with private one-on-one meetings possibly to follow. Franks then made a presentation to his board at a public meeting Thursday. The board met privately for a few minutes. Then, rather than taking the recommendation under advisement to review the specifics, board members unanimously approved a motion, already prepared, to agree with Franks' recommendation to renew Countywide's license.
Physically, Countywide is being monitored more now than ever before. The same can't be said for the public's ability to understand the licensing process.
PLAIN TWP - If you had an interest in the future of the Countywide landfill, did you learn all you wished to know about what went into the decision of the Stark County Board of Health last week to keep the landfill open? Or did you find the process less sensitive to the need for thorough public understanding of this important issue than it could be?
Because Health Commissioner William Franks indicates that he is simply following Ohio law, we challenge state legislators to revisit the law.
Franks, charged with making a recommendation to his board about whether to renew the troubled landfill's operating license, invited everyone who believed he or she had relevant information to send it to him, with private one-on-one meetings possibly to follow. Franks then made a presentation to his board at a public meeting Thursday. The board met privately for a few minutes. Then, rather than taking the recommendation under advisement to review the specifics, board members unanimously approved a motion, already prepared, to agree with Franks' recommendation to renew Countywide's license.
Physically, Countywide is being monitored more now than ever before. The same can't be said for the public's ability to understand the licensing process.
