There’s no such thing as free
LISA HOBB - News Editor
Offering Warren County residents access to solid waste disposal services at convenience centers costs taxpayers almost $600,000 a year.
“I don’t think the general public understands how much we spend on garbage,” said Commissioner Randy England. “I mean, it’s a lot of money just to haul off garbage. I don’t think people really realized that.”
Those words were said during a County Safety Committee held on Monday. During it, Warren County Sanitation Department offered its June report.
The new director, Tonya Herman, attended her first county meeting with departing director Josh Roberts.
“She came on last Wednesday. She jumped right in the saddle. Everything is going smooth. We’ve been in the office ever since she’s been there. We are going to get her 100 percent familiar with the office and get it set up exactly the way she wants it. We’re getting her updated on the grants,” said Roberts.
Grants include paying Tree City Metals for two building packages out of a Waste Reduction Grant.
“We have received the architectural drawings,” said Roberts, giving commissioners an update on that purchase. “I have constructed a rough grade building pad. I went out for bid on June 24 and the bid was awarded to AKB construction. There were seven bid packages submitted. The total bid awarded was the best and lowest at $240,645. Purchase order submitted and approved. All information sent to the state grant system for procurement.”
Roberts also informed commissioners that the Smartt Station now has a working incinerator toilet and new A/C. This brings the total for incinerator toilets to five throughout the county.
“I have sent a letter to intent to Municipal Equipment for two Galbreath 450’s HB trash compactors for the Fairground’s Convenience Center. The funds to purchase these compactors will come out of the 2026-27 fiscal year budget. Purchase order submitted as of July 6.”
As for the new Centertown Convenience Center, which opened May 4, a new 42-yard packer/receiver box arrived Monday, June 6, and a new furniture compactor is slated to arrive Wednesday, June 8. The updated site now has a mattress bin, glass bin, newsprint, metal, aluminum cans, cardboard compactor (when furniture compactor is installed) and household garbage. The building has an incinerator toilet, mini split A/C/heat pump and water has been run to building for a sink.
Herman provided commissioners with June’s numbers.
“Loads hauled to CWS from convenience centers was 127 loads (844.35 tons) at a cost of $45,358 in tipping fees,” she stated. “School loads hauled to CWS was 16 (64.02 tons) at a cost of $3,439. Three Star Mall, there were seven loads (3.68 tons) at a cost of $197.69. The tonnage is going to look very low, because the tonnage was not heavy.”
Roberts offered clarification, “That was the health department moving in: cardboard and Styrofoam. They were really busy and a lot of their nurses were doing the work. We didn’t complain. We let them put it in there and we hauled it. It was a very low tonnage. It had to be hauled.”
Commissioner Ron Lee questioned if that money is reimbursed to the county, to which Roberts stated it is not.
“We will probably have that discussion in Building and Grounds during our next meeting,” said Commissioner Michael Bell, hinting that a change to policy might be on the horizon.
Coming back to the county in the form of revenue was slightly more than $8,979: almost $460 in cardboard recycling, slightly over $7,288 in metal recycling; $1,090 for aluminum cans recycling; and almost $142 in batteries recycling.
Lastly, during the month of June, Warren County Sanitation Department received 323 semi tires, 56 tractor tires and 2,707 passenger tires.