News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Clay County has a new garbage truck on the road catching up on overflow after the county’s previous truck suffered numerous maintenance issues.
Attendant Margo Deckard said the replacement truck was a desperately needed upgrade. She said the previous truck frequently broke down due to faulty parts, namely, hydraulic hoses. She said prior to the new truck’s arrival, the county’s only garbage truck was out of service for some six weeks.
“It got kind of backed up,” Deckard said. “And being able to keep the new one, all of the sites are kept up, the businesses are being able to keep clean and emptied regularly like they’re supposed to, and we’ve been able to clean up a lot throughout the county and help the businesses look better.”
Deckard said with the previous truck, the department sometimes ordered two or three of the same part, hoping that one might arrive without a significant delay. She said that given the challenge of getting parts on hand, she was surprised that the new truck was on the road just two weeks after it was purchased.
“On a scale of one to 10, it’s a 10,” Deckard said. “It’s very important to us and it really, without it, it’s crazy sometimes because our trash and our cardboard are our main two pickups and it really stays busy.”
She said while the truck was out of commission, department attendants were forced to pick up trash by hand or by using a truck and trailer to try to limit overflow. She said now, the truck is on the road from 7:00am-3:00pm, emptying dumpsters at businesses, the six county dump sites, and personal dumpsters that the department rents out.
“We had a waitlist for eight-yard dumpsters in the county and it’s helped us get some of those delivered to people that were in need of them and to be able to keep them emptied,” Deckard said. “And then when they get finished with them, we’re working on down our list, and we’ve accomplished quite a bit.”
Deckard said aside from being able to fulfill pickup responsibilities, the truck provides the department with peace of mind because employees are not constantly worried it might break down.
