To all residents of Idaho County,
Simmons Sanitation has plans of a garbage transfer station being built at the north entrance of Cottonwood, directly east of the Cottonwood cemetery.  It is being planned off the intersection of Highway 95 and Cottonwood Butte Road.  I am writing to urge people to call, write and tell the county representatives and Simmons Sanitation that we DON’T want a Garbage collection Site built at the entrance of our community, for many reasons beyond it being the first impression of our community!
There may be no argument that a local transfer station makes economic sense;that is not the issue.  HOWEVER, locating this at the ENTRANCE to our town, adjacent to our cemetery, next to our school, across the street from a business, AND in plain view of many homes DOES NOT make sense or, more importantly, is not considerate of the very patrons/customers that PAY for the service.
Our understanding is that the area dumpsters will be eliminated and it will be up to the patrons to now haul their garbage to this site.  Simmons will now save themselves the cost of trucks, drivers, time and fuel to transport this garbage at the expense of us hauling our own garbage, with our own fuel, on our own time and vehicles.  In return, they plan to build a garbage transfer station at the ENTRANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.  Not only will the eye-sore be the first thing most see when they come to Cottonwood, there are many other concerns that Idaho County and the City of Cottonwood residents should be concerned about:
The traffic issues that will accompany this station.  All those users of the dumpsters will now be converging onto this site off Highway 95/Cottonwood Butte Rd.  Imagine the pick-ups and trailers northbound Highway 95 waiting to turn left with no left turning lane, and those exiting trying to get on and head northbound.  This road has two school accesses to it and more recently has added a cement company’s regular traffic pattern to it. 
The traffic and noise accompanying all of the funerals that almost exclusively occur on Saturday.  When Cottonwood Butte Rd is full on both sides during a funeral, it essentially shuts down access on that road. 
We will now have a garbage site next to our school.
It will certainly lower the value of the business and homes within direct sight of.
And let’s not forget to mention the trash blowing from all the vehicles traveling in and out of there and the stench. (Simmons Sanitation assured me their trash containers are contained but any visit to the local dumpsters will show they are accompanied with trash that has blown out of patrons rigs enroute to the dumpsters. They also assured me there would be no stench “except of course, when there was a chronic wasting disease amongst the deer in the valley and no one else would take the carcasses so they did”— (So there’s no stench allowed until there’s a stench???).
I think we can all honestly say that if we had direct control in how we spend our money, we would not spend it to be built at that site.   Our county commissioners represent US and spend our money in our best interests.  This is NOT in the best interests of “the people that they were elected to represent.”  Certainly there is a better spot than the highly visible entrance to our town that will create traffic dangers and issues, is inconsiderate of our community with funerals and school and property owners in direct view of it. 
When I suggested to the owner of Simmons Sanitation that they find a more remote site not in someone’s direct view, his answer was that the county would make them maintain the section of road that it would be on.  Frankly,  that seems to be an admission from Simmons and the county of the amount of traffic and wear and tear this place is going to bring.  The fact that they are worried about an extra expense they would incur and completely ignore their “paying” patrons/customers of ID Co. is insulting. 
That is why I am urging the county commissioners to act “as our representatives” and not allow this transfer station to be built within the contract awarded to this company.   This IS an issue of the commissioners.  They ARE our representatives in how OUR tax dollars are being spent. 
There are all different rumors going around but this IS in the works to happen so act NOW.
How to get involved:
*Sign the online petition found on Facebook group under the title:
“Say No to Garbage Transfer Site in Cottonwood”
*or sign the petition in paper form.  You can get hold of any of the people signing this letter.
*Call your local county commissioners:
Denis Duman 208-451-3537
Ted Lindsley
Skip Brandt
*Call Simmons Sanitation in Kamiah.
Robert Simmons 208-935-2617 
*Call your city council members (proximity with city boundaries includes city interests—cemetery, school and image of Cottonwood)
Let them know you don’t agree with your money being spent on this project that will have a negative impact on our community.
Scot & Shelley Schlader
Joe & Charlene Rehder