BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
Recently, Lee County sent out delinquent notices to many residents, letting them know that due to unpaid trash collection fees, they must appear in court.
“If you do not appear in court on that date, a warrant will be issued for your arrest,” the notice said.
The county trash collection system has been the cause of a lot of confusion for and backlash from citizens.
Many are against the system — a contract with private vendor Arrow Disposal — because they already had private vendors collecting their solid waste. These private vendors were told they could no longer operate and Arrow would have the sole contract.
While the county curbside plan officially took effect on March 1, 2022, it was implemented in full in December, 2022.
“We weren’t — as citizens — able to vote on this Arrow,” said one citizen, Marie Maples, at a meeting in January. “I don’t want it. I want the dumpster.”
One citizen, Susan Bolt, expressed concern about the county’s role in helping Arrow collect its fees.
“I stand before you tonight to see if y’all will hire a couple of salespeople for me and maybe an accounts receivable clerk,” she said. “I understand that that’s something that y’all have approved for the private trash contract that y’all are assisting in paying for receivable clerks and I don’t understand why county money is going to that particular business.”
Another citizen, Lance Farrar, asked why there were criminal penalties on a civil case.
The commission discussed the item during its official meeting but only to request the attorney general’s opinion on the matter.
A citizen requested the name and address of the delinquent garbage customers, said a notice from Probate Judge Bill English to the commissioners. He asked the ACCA’s opinion who directed him to the attorney general.
“This trash situation that y’all are going to be discussing again tonight is troubling for me as a citizen,” Bolt said. “I am asking you to stop digging the hole deeper. Come up with some solutions because what you got going right now is just going to get worse.”
OTHER BUSINESS:
– The commission voted to approve three appointments to the Lee County Communications District Board.
– The commission voted to uphold two noise ordinance violations against Margaret Brown’s client who appealed to the commission.
– The commission approved the appointment of District 2 Commissioner Ross Morris as the representative on the Mid-South RC&D Council.
– The commission heard an update on the IAC Loachapoka Water Projects.
– The commission approved a transfer of a Lounge Liquor License for The Tavern at Lake Harding.
– The commission approved educational reimbursement requests for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
– The commission discussed the final subdivision plat for Zachary Howard Subdivision
– The commission held an executive session to purchase potential real property and voted to allow an undisclosed offer to be made for the property. More information will be released at the next meeting.