Resident speaks out about land?ll debate

When Neil Kirschner moved to Millhouse Road 37 years ago, the county landfill was placed down the road.

Tonight, Orange County Commissioners are scheduled to decide whether a plot of land across the street from Kirschner’s home should be turned into a station to transport trash outside the county when the landfill reaches capacity in 2012.

Kirschner, a retired postal worker who has grown trees and raised chickens and bees as hobbies, tells a story that mirrors those of many who live in the neighborhood.

There are two other options: placing the transfer station in a neighborhood off N.C. 54 near Orange Grove Road, or sharing a transfer station with Durham.

DTH: One proposal is to save money by placing the transfer station on this road, and investing the saved money back into the community. Is that a fair compromise?

Neil Kirschner: The extra money is already supposed to be coming in here. For 30 years here, we’ve heard, “The money, the money, the money, the money.” We’ve been told we’ll get it by legions of public officers who say, “OK, we’re going to solve all this.” It’s insulting. There’s nothing they could do with the saved money at all that would mitigate the experience or the placement of a waste transfer station in this community. This is totally, totally unacceptable for us.

DTH: Why did you get involved in waste transfer station debates?

NK: I’ve been here since ’72. We fought the first landfill and then in the 80s fought the second landfill. But honestly, until I heard this waste transfer station might be here, I didn’t pay attention. I thought, “That’s not affecting us; that’s their problem.” I live a fairly reclusive life out here. But with this issue, everyone comes together and brings their little expertise to the table. All of this little expertise turns into something really powerful. This has been a very cohesive movement for us.   

DTH: If the transfer station is placed here, will you move?

NK: You don’t start over again. It takes 25 years to grow a pecan tree and 20 for an apple tree to grow to its peak. There was not a tree here when I came here and you just work at it and watch them grow. I raised my children here, planted my trees, raised the bees and the chickens. Why should I move if someone else makes a huge inconvenience for me? This was supposed to be over with.



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