Township Opposes Inclusion Of Richfield Landfill In Solid Waste Plan

By ops@our-hometown.com | on February 26, 2026

By Gary Gould
810-452-2650 • ggould@mihomepaper.com

RICHFIELD TWP. — Officials have made their opposition known to including the retired Richfield Landfill in the Genesee County Solid Waste Management Plan with passage of a resolution.
The resolution was passed by the Richfield Township Board of Trustees at its Monday, Feb. 9 regular meeting. It opposes inclusion of Richfield Landfill in the new Genesee County Materials Management Plan.
The Richfield Landfill, 11145 E. Mt. Morris Rd., was operated by Richfield Landfill Inc. and Richfield Equities LLC.
Following bankruptcy and abandonment of the landfill in 2013, the site became an orphaned, nonoperational property managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Township Supervisor Joe Madore said when the old Genesee County Solid Waste Plan was being developed years ago the site was included.
With development of a new solid waste management plan by the county, Madore said the township and residents living near the landfill would like for the site not to be included in the plan.
“There hasn’t really been an appetite by any buyers for the property,” he told the board. “Between Pollard down there in Grand Blanc and Waste Connections in Montrose they are big operations with lots of space. And they’re right off the highway…easier to get to, much easier than this one.”
Based on the historical problems with the Richfield Landfill, Madore said he doesn’t see anyone wanting to purchase this site.
“It’s still in bankruptcy limbo after 9-10 years,” he said. “Luckily a few years ago the state put a bunch of money into it and a lot of the clay from Lake Callis was put up there getting the proper slopes o the sides, slowing down the infiltration of the water.”
In the end, Madore said he thinks it’s just best to leave the site as it is. Keeping it out of the county plan brings down the chance of someone reopening the landfill, he said.
Madore added if the landfill stays in the county’s plan, there is nothing to stop someone from buying the site and reopening it as long as the owner meets the required criteria.
The resolution passed unanimously by the Richfield Township Board of Trustees indicates that the Richfield landfill was included in the past plan and has been closed and has remained for sale for several years, having not been found to be marketable by any landfill operators due to all of the historical problems with the site.
It goes on to say the Richfield Township Board of Trustees, in conjunction with the residents in the vicinity of the Richfield Landfill, oppose inclusion of any of the parcels that make up the Richfield Landfill, or those adjacent to the landfill to be included in any new Genesee County Materials Management Plan adopted or approved.

 

Drowned Body Found Of Missing Man In Holloway Reservoir

August 5, 2024

COLUMBIAVILLE – The search for the man who disappeared into the murky waters of the Holloway Reservoir earlier yesterday has ended. The man’s drowned body was found in the general area where he was last seen. The body of William Richards, 56, of Lapeer was found at 7:22 p.m. on Sunday evening. Richards, according to a press release from Lapeer County Sheriff’s office was spotted near his kayak struggling to stay above water around 12 p.m. on Sunday. Lt. Andy Engster of Lapeer County Sheriff’s office was in charge of leading the search and rescue effort.

A witness nearby who called 911 said they saw a man struggling in the water near his kayak. The witness ran out to help the man and then the man disappeared below the surface of the water near Levi Cutting Park. The witness did not know how the man ended up in the water. The witness called 911 and emergency personnel were dispatched and arrived on scene shortly after 12 p.m. After nearly eight hours of searching, the man’s body was found.

Divers Remove Man’s Body From Water Near Holloway Dam

 Jan 31, 2023 

RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) – Authorities worked through frigid temperatures to pull a man’s body from the icy water near Holloway Dam on Monday evening, January 30, 2023.

The body was identified as Tony Bigelow of Flint, who was last seen alive on Sunday afternoon.

Genesee County Park Police Chief David Dwyer said a visitor walking on the catwalk above Holloway Dam spotted Bigelow’s body in the water next to the dam around 5:20 p.m.

Dive teams from Genesee, Lapeer, Oakland, Saginaw and St. Clair counties helped get to the body and bring it back to shore. They used a hovercraft from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office to get across the icy water.

Temperatures dropped below zero during the recovery effort, which complicated the process.

Dwyer said Bigelow was last seen alive around 2 p.m. Sunday. Investigators believe he walked onto the ice on Holloway Reservoir, fell through and drowned.

Police are investigating Bigelow’s death as an accidental drowning.