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Stew Lilker’s

Columbia County Observer

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Resident Complains About Garbage In the Streets: The County 5 Have Ignored the Problem For Years

Posted June 24, 2014  05:15 am


County resident Robert Long told The 5 there was garbage in the streets.

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night's meeting of the County 5 had garbage on the front burner. Long time resident Robert Long had emailed the County advising that residents in his neighborhood put out old and broken furniture, dryers, box springs and rubbish on the wrong days for pick up. He wrote, "It negatively affects home values and neighborhood appearance. It seems to be an increasing trend."

The instances of garbage and trash being put out to the curb on the wrong day in Columbia County are nothing new.

Residents have been complaining about garbage pickup, the lack of recycling, the lack of any kinds of communication from the County regarding holiday schedules, and special pickup dates for years. All comments have fallen on the deaf ears and blind eyes of the County 5.

Mr. Long told The 5, "My problem is that recently, people have started putting their garbage out any day of the week – any time of the day."

Mr. Long continued, "Everybody wants to come home to a nice neighborhood."

Mr. Long told The 5, "There is no ordinance that addresses this... It's a quality of life issue. It applies in every neighborhood of the County."

Mr. Long asked if there were any questions.

There wasn't a single question from The 5.

A few moments later County Manager Dale Williams told the Board that the County does not have an ordinance addressing this issue.

He said the County will be sending a letter to the residents in the Piccadilly area of the County explaining the requirements of trash pickup.

Long time County Commissioner and County Chair, Ronald Williams, said, "Residents need to call and say 'I got a refrigerator.'"

County Manager Williams said the County provides two free pickup days per year. "It does require that you call and pre schedule... a lot of people don't do that," he said.

County Manager Williams continued, "At least we can give them notice in case some people aren't aware of the rules and procedures."

While the County does speak about garbage pickup on its website, there is not one word about the special pickups mentioned by the County Manager.

Outgoing Commissioner Bailey shifted the lack of any information explaining pickup days and scheduling to the contracted trash haulers.

Commissioner Bailey explained that he can't put his garbage out on the right day during a holiday week because his "Creature of Habit" puts it out on the wrong day.

Commissioner Frisina said she has mentioned the problem several times to the County Manager.

Epilogue

In other communities, where its public officials listen and care about keeping garbage off the streets, officials provide yearly pickup schedules with holiday schedules and phone numbers to schedule special pickups.

Since 2006 your reporter, who is a resident of the County, has been suggesting that the County mail out such notices. He reminded The 5 about this again last night.

The 5 just ignored the suggestion, as it has done for years.

Columbia County doesn’t need a new ordinance. It needs to inform its residents about its trash pick-up schedules, holiday schedules, and special pickups.

The infamous Columbia County 5 still haven't figured out how to do that.

 

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