News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowery said the Board of Aldermen needs to seriously explore a permanent solution to transfer city garbage.
City employees have been hauling city trash to an out-of-county facility since August due to White County closing its landfill cell. Lowery requested City Administrator Brad Hennessee to review the costs.
“I think it is imperative that we get aggressive on finding a truck, a trailer and possibly hiring a full time truck driver to just run trash back and fourth,” Lowery said. “I think money wise we at the worse break even.”
Public Works Director Dillard Quick said the city has asked for answers from the county for six months but have yet to hear how long the landfill cell will remain closed. Quick said the city paid the county $37,000 in September for solid waste operations without receiving services.
“I think our fee for dumping is $10 so they made $27,000 and didn’t do anything,” Quick said. “We can’t get any answers. At some point in time, we are going to have to take a stand. If you are not going to give us any information, we are going to have to take care of it ourselves.”
Lowery said his goal is to bring a price estimate to the Board of Aldermen by the end of the year.
“Brad, I want you and Dillard to work on the numbers on what we are paying the county now and what we’re spending already and see what if we keep that in-house,” Lowery said. “Dillard is spot on. We have no answer.”
