>> WASTE DISPOSAL
Nearby residents and those using the Meriwether Road garbage disposal facility have been unable to ignore the unsightly appearance of the convenience center in recent months, and the county has now begun efforts to improve those conditions.
Baldwin County District 5 Commissioner Johnny Westmoreland has discussed in several board of commissioners’ meetings the situation at the Meriwether Convenience Center, in particular the handling of yard debris, primarily limbs, branches and tree trunks of various sizes. He said, this week, that a large hole in the pavement indirectly led to the significant build-up of debris in the center and the need for corrective action.
“A grappler came in, which is to pick up the garbage, and the guy that was operating the grappler dropped it and it made a hole in the surface of the convenience center, a big hole,” Westmoreland explained.
“So they put up the other barrier to protect that big hole; didn’t want anything else to go around that hole. That hole got full of water, mosquitos, and everything else, so we had to do something.”
The commissioner said county officials met with the company handling the collection and disposal of waste at centers around the county, Waste Management, and together they devised a plan for handling yard waste debris.
County Manager Carlos Tobar told commissioners at the June 6 board meeting that the original plan was to construct a ramp for vehicles to back down to unload the debris. That concept has been abandoned.
“We’re going to be putting five containers in the ground and have the top of the containers at about the same height as the truck tailgate,” Tobar said. “That will make it super easy for people to dispose of their debris. Then, the grappler will just come in there and empty it out.”
Tobar said underground pipes and gravel will be used to ensure proper water drainage.
“This isn’t their first rodeo,” Tobar said of Waste Management. “They’ve done this in other places. We like what they’ve done at other places, so we think this will be a good spot to do it.”
Westmoreland agreed with the county manager and the plan.
“That will give us a lot more room in there, and we wouldn’t have to worry about holes in the pavement anymore. If sticking the containers in the ground will work, I am all for it,” he said.
Tobar said the cost of the work will be borne by the county.
“It’s our center. Capital improvements are on us,” he stated. “We’re responsible for the rock, the land, the fence, and any improvements.”
Rather than utilizing a private contractor for the project, the county’s public works department will do the work. That will include breaking up existing pavement, digging the holes and putting into place the drainage system, and setting the containers.
However, the county is currently working on three “high-priority safety projects” that must be completed before the Meriwether Convenience Center project.
“These projects can always be delayed because of weather, so I am reluctant to give a date. I would guess we can start in September,” said Tobar. “Once they start that work, they will have to shut the center down. At this time, I cannot give a completion date for the project.”