Not everyone agrees with Gillies. Bundy says there are plenty of economic opportunities in the town, from Civil War re-enactments at nearby historic Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park to air shows and kit plane manufacturers at Pringle's airport. Bundy says he's willing to head up an economic task force to study what options may be available, but the mayor hasn't agreed.

"Rather than wait for the first business to come to us, why don't we pursue the kind of businesses we want?" Bundy says. "I think we should look at what kind of growth we want and get it here, but (the mayor) genuinely is not interested in anything (other than the landfill). That's it. Nothing else matters."

Town councilman R.L. Panek argues that a dump will be coming to Cedar Valley no matter what, so the revenue might as well come to Fairfield.

"If there is a landfill coming into this valley, let Fairfield benefit, if we're going to put up with the negative parts of it anyway," Panek said.

But some residents don't buy that logic. The valley has plenty of existing dumps with ample room to grow, and there's no need for one more, they say.

Bundy and five other sponsors of a petition to put the vote on a ballot have until July 28 to get about 30 signatures of Fairfield residents who are registered voters. People like Pringle, who own land in Fairfield but live in a neighboring city, aren't allowed to vote.

Fabiola Gutierrez, one of the petition's sponsors, says she doesn't see any problems getting enough signatures for a referendum. The issue has been so divisive that some long-term, 30-year residents of the town have moved away because of it.

"You lose five families out of a town the size of Fairfield, and it's significant," said town councilwoman JoAn Shubert, who voted against approving the dump. "I'm the only voice for the residents, and I'm so overwhelmed by the residents visiting me and telling me I'm the only one who listens to them. (Fairfield) incorporated so we could keep businesses like a landfill out, and now we're getting a landfill."

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com