Aaron Gustafson, right, discusses proposed members of the Landfill Commission during the Public Facilities Committee meeting.

The Chautauqua County Legislature is starting to appoint people to its newly formed Landfill Commission, but so far at least one legislator is opposed.

During the legislature’s Public Facilities Committee meeting, members voted 3-1 to approve a partial list of members, including Legislator John Davis, R-Frewsburg, Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Sinclairville, Ellery Councilman Mark Schlemmer, and James Van Volkenburg of Sherman.

Aaron Gustafson, Chautauqua County Landfill manager, said there are vacancies on the commission they are seeking to fill. He said they’re looking for one large private customer, a large municipal customer, and a private hauler. “We have feelers out for all of them. I’ve reached out personally to several companies and communities,” he said.

Legislator Susan Parker, D-Fredonia, made a motion to table the appointments until they have more information on how the commission will be working with the Public Facilities Committee, as well as the landfill itself. Because no one seconded her motion, it failed.

Gustafson said he hopes to have the rest of the committee in place by the November Public Facilities Committee meeting.

He was asked by Committee Chairman John Hemmer, R-Westfield, if the committee would wait until all members are appointed before meeting. “That is my assumption but I’m not a member,” Gustafson said.

Legislator Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, said he believes they need to get the members in place before they can “help steer the duties or where the commission is going.” Because of that, he said he supports making the appointments.

He, Hemmer, and Legislator John Davis, R-Frewsburg, voted in favor of the appointments. Parker voted against it.

The resolution will now go to the full legislature for approval when it meets Oct. 26.

This isn’t the first time Parker has voted against the landfill commission. When it was formed in July, she questioned the need for it.

She also proposed making changes to the original local law, saying the commission would be prohibited reviewing and/or recommending the landfill be privatized. She wanted to remove the large private customer and the waste hauler from the commission and wanted commission members to be prohibited if they are a family member of an elected county official or of a county department head. Her proposed changes all failed in July.

When it came time to vote this summer to create the commission, the legislature passed it with a 12-5 vote. Legislators Parker, Scudder, Elisabeth Rankin, R-Jamestown, Bob Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, and Billy Torres, D-Jamestown all voted against it.