Garbage controversy causes stink: Commissioners debate what trash county should accept
|
Other county officials aren?t so sure, saying the idea would come at a huge expense. They say it would also inconvenience people who use the convenience centers to get rid of their household garbage by increasing traffic.
?I?m having to pay $6,000 a year to get rid of my garbage and this really puts an extra burden on small business owners,? said Prater. ?That?s $6,000 I could use to add another person to my payroll or to pave my parking lot.
?Small business owners pay taxes in this county just like everyone else,? continued Prater. ?We should be able to use the convenience centers like everyone else.?
County convenience centers have never been in the business of accepting commercial garbage, although many business owners did bend the rules and dump their trash there anyway.
It was for that reason the county passed a resolution in April, 2000 that said only Warren County residents dumping household garbage could use the convenience centers. The resolution specifically prohibited dumping business, factory or commercial construction materials at convenience centers.
In the proposal Prater says he will present to the county commission June 19, he wants to delete the word ?business? from the section of dumping restriction, meaning only factory and commercial construction materials would be prohibited.
?I think allowing businesses to use the convenience centers would be one of the worst moves the county could make,? said County Executive Kenneth Rogers. ?It would break the county. Gary is just looking out for Gary. He?s not looking out for the county.?
Sanitation director Steve Hillis says allowing businesses to use the convenience centers would greatly increase the amount of garbage handled. At $40 a ton, he says that adds up quickly.
?It would cost the taxpayers a lot more money because our expenses would go out of this world,? said Hillis. ?Plus it aggravated the public because business owners would come in with their trucks loaded down and they would hold up the line dumping all their trash.?
Commissioner Wayne Pryor said if the county were to accept business garbage, the city of McMinnville would likely renew efforts to dump its garbage at county convenience centers.
In 2002, the city made an attempt to do exactly that, even prompting a letter from then city administrator Herb Llewellyn to then county executive Carol Hamblen.
?As county residents and taxpayers, we would like to take advantage of this county-provided service,? Llewellyn?s letter says. ?Please contact Bill Brock at our Public Works office and inform him of what we need to do to begin service.?
Said Pryor, ?We?re set up for household garbage, not business garbage. It?s opening up a big can of worms. If we start taking garbage from small businesses, where do we draw the line??
Prater maintains the service would help small businesses survive and allow them to donate more generously.
?Small businesses don?t get any kind of help and we?re all the time giving back to the community,? said Prater. ?This would be something the county could do that would allow us to give back even more.?