The Garrard County Solid Waste Ordinance has been streamlined, according to solid waste coordinator for Garrard and Lincoln counties, Chris Thomason, who responded to questions regarding the newly proposed ordinance at Monday’s Garrard County Fiscal Court meeting.
“We tried to address everything that could potentially come up,” Thomason said.
The former ordinance was one that had been passed along from previous administrations and had been amended numerous times. According to Garrard County Judge-Executive John Wilson, there were many unnecessary and conflicting parts in the former ordinance.
“One of the things in (the ordinance) says that you can’t put out bags of garbage without being in a container. About 50 percent of my road puts out bags and one man said he was going to drop his trash if he has to,” Joe Leavell said.
According to Thomason, the stipulation has always been part of the ordinance and is required by state law.
“We want to help the community by letting the public know, not only our local ordinances, but our state laws, too,” Babette Overman, chairman of the Garrard County Solid Waste Community Committee, said. The committee worked with Thomason to create the proposed ordinance.
“If I vote on this, I’m feeling like I’m telling people on my road that they’re breaking the law when they put the garbage out,” Leavell said.
“Well, you’re breaking the law now, if you put the garbage out (in bags),” Thomason said, but assured it will only be pushed if it becomes a nuisance, by getting caught and shredded when someone mows or by constantly being torn apart by dogs.
“If it’s a problem, that’s when I’ll address it,” he said.
“They’re not going to go driveway to driveway,” Ronnie Lane said. Wilson echoed that sentiment, stating the county didn’t have the funds to pay someone to drive around and find those who are in violation of the ordinance in this way.
“We’re not a body that’s going out looking for trouble,” Overman said. “We want to help.”
Thomason agreed to find a way to specifically include the non-aggressive approach to using trash bags in the ordinance.
The first reading of the ordinance passed and the second reading will occur at the November meeting.
