COUNTY DUMPS PLAN TO HIKE LANDFILL FEES.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

Despite farmers' complaints about debris from nearby Toland Road Landfill, county supervisors narrowly rejected a plan Tuesday that would have tripled the cap on inspection fees levied against the operator.

By a 3-2 vote, supervisors held the cap at $50,000 and also decided to use Agricultural Commissioner Earl McPhail and other county staff members, rather than private consultants, to inspect the dump.

The 160-acre landfill, operated by the Ventura Regional Sanitation District, was found to be in compliance with its permit during each of the last five status reports, conducted every six months by several local and state agencies.

``They shouldn't be penalized because they didn't break any of the rules,'' said Supervisor Frank Schillo, who voted with the majority. ``Why would I increase their fee for monitoring?''

But Supervisor Judy Mikels, who joined Supervisor Kathy Long in cast dissenting votes, said she was influenced by farmers who two weeks ago brought the board photographs of crop damage they said was caused by blowing debris from the dump.

``If people are complaining and there's evidence, obviously there's still a problem,'' Mikels said.

Neighbors have complained routinely about the dump since the county issued a conditional-use permit in May 1996, increasing its daily maximum intake from 135 tons to 1,500 tons.

Mikels said the $150,000 cap on inspection fees would still be $50,000 less than the maximum annual charges facing the Simi Valley Landfill.

``If one landfill has those conditions, the other one should,'' Mikels said. ``I think $50,000 is too low.''

Mark Zirbel, lawyer for the district, praised the board's decision.

``If county staff are in charge of the permit, they should be in charge of the inspections,'' he said. ``That should give us a consistent regulation and maximize the communication between the landfill and the county.''

But Mikels called for a private company to continue monitoring the site - located between Fillmore and Santa Paula - for the next six months.

If the operation earns another favorable status report, only then should supervisors consider turning inspection duties over to county staff, she said.