Businessman offers to buy Harrisburg's big pile of dirt
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Harrisburg city officials, including members of council, have been wrestling with the proper way to make dirt excavated at the city flood impoundment area available to various groups requesting a portion.
The requests have been widespread and city officials became nervous over the potential of liability.
As the result of a council request, Bill Ghent - who oversees the city's safety programs - generated a list of recommendations, including not allowing removal of dirt for a year to allow it to settle, handle the distribution through a bidding process, don't put all dirt up for sale in one year, retain dirt for the city's use and design an entrance and roadway to the excavation site.
During Thursday's council meeting, one local businessman appeared before council to offer a solution.
Roger Angelly offered to buy the dirt from the city, estimating the 100,000 cubic yards removed from the impoundment probably has a value of $1 per cubic yard.
Angelly said he is in the business of selling dirt and doesn't relish the thought of being in competition with the city should the city give away dirt.
Council listened to the presentation, posed several questions and took the matter under advisement.
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