JACKSON -- Jackson's Board of Aldermen got its first look at written proposals from two private solid waste management firms to buy or lease the city landfill.

The proposals call for what both companies described as a "long-term partnership" with the city that would upgrade the landfill to meet new EPA regulations, and turn it into a regional landfill operation. Each would also assume limited liability with the city for the landfill.

The board made no decision on either proposal.

It will meet on Jan. 31, in executive session, to discuss the proposals submitted by BFI Industries Inc. and Continental Waste Management of Cape Girardeau. A decision is not expected until sometime in February.

The city faces an April 9 deadline on what to do with the 100-acre landfill, of which only 15 acres has been filled.

It has three options: close the landfill before April 9 at a cost of $300,000 to $500,000; continue to operate the landfill, but only if expensive upgrades are done to bring it into compliance with the new EPA regulations; sell or lease the landfill to a private operator.

Bruce Rich, consultant with Genesis Consultant Group of St. Louis, who represents Continental Waste Management, said the city cannot wait until April 9 to decide.

Said Rich, "If you wait until after April 9, the cost of closing the landfill will rise dramatically to around $1 million because the closure costs would be over a 30-year period, instead of 20 years."

Rich said Continental believes the Jackson landfill would be a viable regional landfill that would produce additional income to the city. He said Jackson would benefit by being a "host" city and enjoy fixed solid waste rates.

"We would also need some type of feeling from the surrounding communities as to whether or not they would use the landfill," he said.

Both companies propose setting up a recycling program to reduce the amount of solid waste going into the landfill, which would prolong its life.

The other proposal was submitted by BFI, or Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc., an international firm with stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Harvard Ebers, special projects manager with BFI, said the company had $200 billion in gross revenues in 1993.

BFI proposes to enter into a 20-year partnership agreement with Jackson to upgrade the landfill and make it into a regional landfill that would serve seven to 10 counties. The firm would also assume total closing and long-term maintenance and insurance costs of the landfill.

BFI currently operates in this area from its Marion, Ill. regional office. The company has a recycling contract with the Procter and Gamble plant north of Cape Girardeau, and serves a number of industrial and commercial customers in Cape Girardeau.

Ebers said BFI just concluded an agreement with the city of Lamar, in southwest Missouri "which is a model or blueprint of our plan for the Jackson landfill." He suggested Jackson officials contact Lamar to discuss details of their plan.

"Your landfill is a valuable asset, and an asset to the commercial, industrial, and residential base in Jackson," said Ebers.

Mayor Paul Sander said his only consideration is for the welfare of the city and its citizens. Said Sander, "We want to get the best possible deal we can for our people, and to reduce our exposure to the closing costs of the landfill.

"The board is working on an April 9 deadline. We want to make sure we have time to properly consider these proposals, and that both companies have time to respond to our questions."