A seven-member state board has taken control of Nicholas County's troubled solid waste authority.
The state Solid Waste Management Board says in a news release it made the move in a unanimous vote Wednesday.
State board Executive Director Mark Holstine says the Nicholas County Solid Waste Authority had "a complete lack of internal controls in place." If left unchecked, it would mean significant financial problems that could spill into environmental issues at the Nicholas County landfill.
The release says the Nicholas County authority's net assets dropped from $2.5 million in 2007 to $2 million last year. Operating income went from $238,000 in 2007 to a loss of nearly $303,000 in 2013.
The Nicholas County authority's 13 employees will now report directly to Holstine until a new management plan is enacted.
