Solid waste ordinance passed by Garrard County Fiscal Court

LANCASTER — Despite the concerns of some, the Garrard County solid waste ordinance passed on the second reading during Monday night’s Fiscal Court meeting.

The ordinance, which was discussed during the October meeting, raised some flags for Magistrate Joe Leavell, due to the language saying individuals putting out their trash for pick up must put the waste into a container. Simply putting it in a trash bag is not enough, according to the ordinance.

Chris Thomason, solid waste coordinator for Garrard and Lincoln counties, said the language in question already was part of the existing solid waste ordinance. However, it is not something he addresses unless it becomes a serious problem, Thomason noted.

“It’s been the law since 2004,” Thomason said, emphasizing although the original passage of the ordinance predated him, he’s still never used its existence to harass people.

“I’ve never gone down the road and cited people for it,” he said.

The Solid Waste Community Committee, which first proposed the newly streamlined ordinance in October, stood firm in its decision, despite requests they change the language that requires containers for the trash. Thomason said he agreed with their decision.

“It’s my professional opinion that that needs to remain,” he said.

Having that aspect in writing will give Thomason the backing he needs to enforce the issue, if it becomes a problem.

During the October meeting, Thomason said it generally only became an issue when the bags were torn apart by dogs. Magistrate Simpson echoed that during Monday’s meeting.

“I noticed someone had missed the trash on Friday and some of those bags have been torn into,” Simpson said.

He that it ordinarily wasn’t an issue for his neighbors to use the bags, but could now see how it could be.

The vote for the ordinance was 4-1 in favor, with Leavell voting no because he still felt it was a dangerous path to take.

“I think we are walking on thin ice, saying we are going to put this in there but not enforce it,” he said.

In other news:

• Magistrates heard and approved the second reading of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds for Berea College. In this instance, the Fiscal Court is acting as a conduit for Berea, enabling it to possibly decrease some of its debt, according to the original presentation in November from Judge Wilson with the college. No liability will fall upon Garrard County, no matter what happens to the school.

• The court was told the county is being given property on Old Railroad Road, which formerly housed the Paint Lick Sportsman Club. The property was flooded and the building completely destroyed. Judge-Executive John Wilson explained the members of the club determined it simply would be better if the property were turned over to the county to benefit all the citizens.
  Wilson said, perhaps someday, they will be able to turn the space into a park for everyone in the county to enjoy.

• Residents on Roy Walker Davis Road came before Wilson requesting a fee be added to each lot. That money would then be used to maintain the road and would be placed into an account and earmarked specifically for that purpose. The Fiscal Court approved the residents’ request.