UPDATE: See the UPDATED News Story on this subject HERE.

Previous News Article - Earlier this year on March 31st and into the early morning hours of April 1st, tornadoes ripped through Rutherford and Cannon Counties. An EF-2 tornado left behind a trail of destruction that added up to millions and millions of dollars. After storms passed, a variety of departments and agencies throughout the county, along with hundreds of volunteers, came together to clear the debris… That was Rutherford County County Mayor Joe Carr.

The Mayor said that Middle Point Landfill also played a role in cleanup efforts, suggesting Republic Services was prepared to absorb the disposal cost of storm debris if FEMA didn’t pay for it. Mike Classen, Middle Point Landfill General Manager, highlighted their eagerness to help before the entire Rutherford County Commission on April 13, 2023… Three months later, the mayor said that he received a bill from Republic Services for the disposal of around 1,400 tons of storm debris…  

In addition to the landfill’s general manager telling the county commission that Republic Services was ready to cover storm debris disposal fees if FEMA didn’t, he also told one media outlet, “…if the FEMA funding doesn't come through - we've just said, we'll just absorb that cost.” On Wednesday, Carr reiterated what was originally received as welcomed news…

Regardless, Classen said at the past commission meeting, “There is a lot of noise out there about Middle Point, but this is one example of how we are a unique and valuable asset to this county with the means and desire to support our community.”

On Wednesday night, Mayor Carr told WGNS that he’s looking into the statements made by the general manager of the Middle Point Landfill to figure out what went wrong and why the landfill sent the county a bill for something they originally said they’d be willing to absorb.  

WGNS will continue to follow this story.

Video of the Rutherford County Commission Meeting, featuring the Middle Point Landfill, below. 

Video from Rutherford County Showing the Massive Amount of Debris Below.