CLINTON - The leader of a DeWitt County watchdog group has asked the Clinton City Council to oppose the storage of chemical wastes at a landfill south of Clinton.

On Monday, Matt Varble, president of WATCH (We're Against Toxic Chemicals) asked the Clinton City Council to go on record opposing an application from Peoria Disposal Co., owners of Clinton Landfill, for the option of storing chemical waste at the landfill.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will make the final decision on the Peoria Disposal permit in the next 12 to 18 months. A public hearing is expected to be in April or May in Clinton.

"I think that it is time the city of Clinton became engaged in this issue," Varble said. "Other governmental bodies such as the Champaign County Board and Logan County Board have passed resolutions opposing this application. Also, DeWitt County has had two referendums in which the voters have overwhelmingly opposed this application."

Varble asked the commissioners for their personal opinion on the matter. Finance Commissioner Tom Edmunds said he would prefer to have more information before passing such a resolution, and Commissioner Jerry Milton and Mayor Ed Wollet also reserved comment.

Varble told the council that DeWitt County voters' rejection the waste storage plan in two recent advisory referendums should give an indication of how Clinton residents feel about the matter.

But Wollet argued the countywide vote did not necessarily represent the views of all Clinton voters.

"What this council is saying is that we want additional information," Wollet said. "We can't deal in speculation. The fact is that the two referendums were held at the county level and not at the local level."

Varble announced that if the city did not pass a resolution, his watchdog group would take a stance that the city refused to take a position.

"We will take this under advisement and if we feel a resolution is necessary, we can have it for the April 6 meeting," Wollet said.