The county has certified a referendum petition signed by 4,066 voters, far more than the 2,331 necessary to put the issue on the ballot, County Clerk LuAnn Adams said Friday.

Residents began circulating the petitions after the Box Elder County Commission rejected pleas for study and approved the sale of the landfill in December on a 2-1 vote.

Many residents opposed the sale; others simply wanted more information.

They circulated three petitions about separate votes of the commission, but County Attorney Stephen Hadfield determined two of those actions were administrative and not suited to a referendum, Adams said. The votes had to do more with the county's role in the Northern Utah Regional Landfill Authority.

Whether the pending referendum will block the sale - or require it be reversed later - has not been determined.

The authority's board comprises representatives of each of the participants in the authority: Logan, Box Elder County, Weber County and Wasatch Integrated Waste Management. The four handle all the garbage - except Bountiful's - for Cache, Box Elder, Weber, Morgan and Davis counties.

The landfill issue also is generating heat in the upcoming commission race.

Commissioner Clark Davis, who voted to sell the landfill, is being challenged by two Republicans: Chuck Poll and Brian Shaffer. Lee Phipps is running on the Constitution Party ticket and Eli Anderson, a former state representative and a leader in the referendum petition drive, is the sole Democratic candidate.

kmoulton@sltrib.com

The resolution

Box Elder County residents will vote on a resolution, that would authorize:

The execution and delivery of an agreement for sale and purchase of Box Elder County Landfill and related property leases, easement and rights of way; and related matters.