ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners are opening a new, potential source of revenue for the county.
At the board’s meeting Monday, the board approved a contract with Waga Energy for the capturing and processing of renewable natural gas at the Great Oak Landfill.
“In 2017, when the county signed up with Waste Management of the Carolinas to run our landfill, we managed to hold onto and retain the rights to the methane gas that is produced within the landfill,” county manager Zeb Holden said. “As that landfill has filled up over the last few years, it’s become ripe and ready to be tapped into and, quite frankly, monetized.”
Holden said eight firms responded to the county’s RFP and negotiations with Waga Energy began in October of last year.
Wage Energy, which has constructed 55 similar projects in North America, 35 of which are still in operation, is proposing to construct a true circular economy project.
The facility will capture the natural gas and turn it into local energy, which will be purified, compressed and injected into the Piedmont Natural Gas pipeline infrastructure.
“It is a wonderful project,” said Gray Styers, a Fox Rothschild LLP attorney who was representing the county in negotiations and the drafting of contracts. “We truly believe it is a win, win, win for the county, Waga and waste management.”
According to Waga Energy, the initial target for a commercial operation date would be in the second quarter of 2028.
Styers said certain projections have predicted that the total annual revenues for the county could be as high as $4.8 million from the project.
“I think it is fair to say that the preservation of the natural gas rights, monetized in this fashion, will result in a considerable cash flow to the county for the next 20, 25, 30 years into the future,” Styers said.
“We’re not only going to be getting payments from Waga, but it is also my understanding that they’ll be a tax payer as well,” commissioner Hope Haywood said. “So they will be paying taxes on what they own that is at the landfill.”
Jail looks to upgrade food services
The board also approved an approximately $850,000 contract with Kellwell Food Management for inmate food services at the Randolph County Detention Center.
Major Ricci D’Angelo said the reason for making the change is due to increased issues with the current vendor.
D’Angelo pointed to complaints from inmates about food service, amount of calories they’re being served and quality of that food, as well as poor health inspection results and a lack of overall communication from the vendor.
“I have a certain expectation for how our kitchens should run,” D’Angelo said.
Kellwell, which is a family-run business, works solely in correctional care and currently operates in seven states, including North Carolina.
“They incorporated and have been operating since 1992 and are based out of Kentucky,” D’Angelo said. “Making this change, we will go from serving the inmates 2,400 calories to serving them 2,700 calories.”
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will next meet July 6.
