News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County Solid Waste will close the Buffalo Valley Convenience Center next week to replace a structure that houses employee offices and restrooms.
Solid Waste Director Doug Ashburn said the structure has been in place for over 20 years. He said the structure’s walls were beginning to rot away and he decided replacing the building would be easier than full-scale repairs or rebuilding. Ashburn said the building gives employees a place to do paperwork, use the restroom, and get out of the weather.
“We’re going to put some cans located outside of the work area and they can use it,” Ashburn said. “Or they can go over to Gentry Convenience Center which is five or six miles away just for that week. Unless, everything should be on target unless something goes wrong.”
Ashburn said he expects to have the 12-by-16-foot structure in place and reopen the facility by Saturday, April 20. He said he is excited to have found a replacement structure for a reasonable price to provide an improved space for the site’s employees.
“We consider it to be the right thing to do and it takes care of our employees,” Ashburn said. “And that’s our number-one asset is our employees.”
He said the department has done several replacements for this same type of shelter over the past several years. Ashburn said getting this taken care of opens the door for the department to focus on more in-depth maintenance projects in need of attention.
“I think we’re good on buildings,” Ashburn said. “We’ve got some little paving projects coming up and just some repair of fencing.”
He said the building also has a storage closet for housing equipment when not being used. He said the structure includes large windows so employees can stay out of the weather and still see customers arriving.
