Committee supports additional funding for West Homewood odor resolution

A final resolution to the smell issues that have been plaguing West Homewood for over a year could be enacted by the end of 2016.

At Monday's special issues committee meeting, committee members discussed a set of proposals by Volatile Analysis, Buffalo Rock and Dean Foods for further odor source identification. Volatile Analysis representative Katherine Bazemore has offered to work with both food companies to review their proposals and methods, share this information with the city and develop a schedule to monitor the companies' progress in eliminating odor sources.

Ward 2 Representative Fred Hawkins said this could result in odor sources being eliminated by December. The city could choose to oversee progress itself, but committee members said they did not feel like they had the necessary experience to provide feedback to Buffalo Rock and Dean Foods and monitor their progress.

“I was just hoping for something sooner,” Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright said.

Volatile Analysis' proposal would cost the city $14,760 and would help the companies “generate a fix," Hawkins said. The full council will decide whether to fund the proposal at its Oct. 24 meeting.

“We’re close to the end of the rabbit hole. We’ve just got to keep digging a little further,” Hawkins said.