A state grant will be used for Yazoo County to hire a solid waste officer to patrol and issue citations for various violations at the county’s garbage pitch-in sites.
The illegal dumping of contractual debris and tires, as well as litter from dumpster diving, continues to be a problem for the Yazoo County Board of Supervisors. Many dumpsters are also destroyed by fires purposely set by people, costing the county about $2,000 to replace each dumpster damaged.
Thanks to a solid waste grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the county board will be provided $24,289 for an officer’s salary to patrol the dumpster sites throughout Yazoo County.
“So far, nothing we have tried has worked,” said Supervisor David Berry.
In the past, the county board approved the purchase of cameras to place at the pitch-in collection sites. But county leaders want to utilize the MDEQ grant to put some more teeth into the matter. The board also considered hiring a part-time officer with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department to be placed in the role.
“Or maybe we could run it through (Yazoo County Emergency Management office),” asked Supervisor Lee Moore. “The deputies are not writing tickets. Why would a part-time officer start writing tickets now?”
“Why do you say we are not writing tickets,” replied Chief Deputy Terry Gann. “We caught a couple at the county barn recently.”
“We just never see or hear about it,” Moore said. “Well, maybe it is more than I realize.”
Supervisors Cobie Collins said the county board should begin the interviewing process to fill the position.
“We just don’t want somebody who is going to take the $24,000 and not do anything,” Collins said. “It will cost the county some money too because we would have to furnish a vehicle and gas. But whoever we get will have to start writing tickets because MDEQ is not going to continue giving us money. They will probably to an audit every year. Whoever we get, we must get somebody who doesn’t mind writing tickets.”
Currently, the county has established a series of fines associated with the issue. For example, dumpster diving carries a $500 fine. Dumping tires includes a $3,000 fine. In an effort to curtail the setting of dumpsters on fire, the county board approved a $2,500 fine during Monday’s meeting.
“I am for that because we need to stop the fires,” said Supervisor Willie Wright. “Those dumpsters cost a lot of money to replace. It won’t stop it completely, but something must be done. It might take one or two getting caught to help end it.”
Gann said suspects were charged with arson a few months ago for setting a dumpster on fire near the county barn.
“They usually do it when the dumpsters are full,” Berry said. “And, let’s not forget, it about to be Christmas time.”
“We are hiring this guy at the right time,” Collins added.
