Let’s Talk Trash | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Rumor going around the county is that commissioners (least one of then does) want to build two mega sites to collect trash, one on the Southside to collect all bulk containers plus central location for storm debris, vegetation, and tree limbs. A Northside location would be built to handle bulk materials.

    Engineers have been asked about "mega sites" and some have no idea what the commissioners are talking about. Some presentations have been made but everything is still up in the air.

    First and foremost, whatever is done we need to leave convenience sites open in areas. No way should a person from Leachville have to drive fifty miles to Washington to dump trash. Beaufort County is too big an area and citizens will not support it. If you close convenience sites then there is going to be a lot of back road dumping.

    Second, these sites need to be open when people need them. To get rid of construction material you now have to go to the Transfer Site on Flanders Filters Road or take them to EJE in Pitt County. Both of these siters are closed on Saturday and Sunday and are not open late during the week. A working person has to take off of work to go throw away a 2 x 4 board.

    If built the sites need to be centrally located. Commissioners claim that one would not be on Magnolia School Road one week, and then the next week it is back there. I assure you nobody wants these sites in their neighborhood.

    Sites would need to cover everything, household trash, bulk items, construction debris, etc.... And they would need to be open every day until at least six o'clock. You should be able to go to one place and get rid of all your trash, not drive all over the county. This would again just encourage folks to dump stuff on the side of the road.

    I went to Swain County a couple of weeks ago and they had one site that covered everything. Everything was ground level and very easy to get to. There were four trash compactors for household trash, a dumpster for bulk items, one for mattresses, and one for yard waste. There is also a place to dispose of construction waste, tires, and large tree limbs.

    They have an electronics bin and charge $5 for each piece thrown in it. Beaufort County does not charge a fee to do this, we pay for somebody to come get it though. There are two places in Beaufort County that take electronics and I assure you people are just placing them in plastic bags and throwing them away rather than drive to them.

    Swain County is recycling. They still take glass, plastic, and cardboard. Beaufort County needs to return to the recycling program. Swain has somebody that buys their recycling. They also have a used oil program.

    The other thing Swain County is recycling is refrigerant from refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners. They take these items in, remove the refrigerant, and sale the metal to a scrap metal dealer. I believe they also get money for the recovered refrigerant.

    All of Swain County's trash issues are handled on about a two acre site. It was very clean and well maintained. Employees there were proud of the efforts the county had attempted to do to handle the trash. Working there was a sought after job.

    Two years ago I brought up the changes Republic Services wanted to make to our trash pickup. Republic Services proposed changing their current service level, from running the convenience sites and transfer station, to add roadside collection. The proposal would shut down all but two or three roll-off sites and start providing pickup of trash from homes in Beaufort County. They consider this a service level increase and were asking for a contract modification. Well they didn't get it so are they the ones pushing buttons in the background for this new mega site?

    Trash is a big deal. There needs to be hearings and discussions before another penny is spent on this whole deal. The public needs to have input and the Commissioners need to listen to them.

    We need to get back to the basics, stop wasteful spending and conduct the business of the county in public. If elected I will do that. Remember, you can only vote for one person in the commissioner race. Please Vote for Tandy Dunn.

    Tandy Dunn is a conservative Republican running for Beaufort County Commissioner.


   Contact: Tandy Dunn
   Email: tandydunn@gmail.com


poll#146

Should Beaufort County's Commissioners fund more projects, while adding to the county government work force, or, should these servants to the People work to cut wasteful spending, and give the taxpayers of Beaufort County a break on taxes, possibly starting a new purpose for their existence?

  Yes, please spend more; so much needs to be done in Beaufort County, and we need more government employees doing it.

  No, please work to be frugal; more mindful that this is the public's money, and return to taxpayers what is not absolutely needed.

  Why should I pay attention to stuff?

697 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?