Solid waste district discusses funding needs for deputies for litter, landfill truck routes; OEPA considering cuts, especially in Stark
The Times-Reporter
BOLIVAR – Cutbacks for law enforcement regarding litter and trucks hauling trash in the area were discussed Friday at a special meeting of the board of directors of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District.
Sheriff’s personnel from the three counties gave an update on how their district grants are used. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is writing a plan for the district, which includes the cutbacks.
Stark County gets a grant of $359,500 annually, which is used for overseeing 12 prisoners to gather trash and for two deputies that recycle litter found and patrol Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility north of Bolivar and American Landfill at Waynesburg; Tuscarawas County receives $136,956 for a deputy and administrator and Wayne County receives $112,000 for a deputy.
Stark Sheriff Tim Swanson said his department has five positions, three that collect litter and two that organize the prisoners picking up trash – more than 4,000 bags this year. He said that without funding the department can’t do the project. Officers also enforce speeding regulations, fine trash trucks for trash that comes out of the vehicle on the roads and enforce the weight load on roads and check trucks for safety issues.
Swanson said if funding or deputies are reduced the district will receive a rash of complaints. He said OEPA wants to reduce the deputies to one when it takes five to do the job. Stark Sheriff Deputy Rick Perez said deputies have issued 1,700 tickets for overloaded trash trucks through September and the total for 2005 was 1,400 tickets. Swanson said that without the funds Stark County will look like the trash capitol of the world and it would have a terrible impact on residents.
In Tuscarawas County, funding for enforcement by deputies is administered by Val Myers. A litter deputy picks up litter along the road and uses inmates from the county jail to help. She said a program administrator is needed to interview people ordered by the courts to help, and to schedule them to work along with acting as a liaison to the courts, interacts with township trustees and clerks and prepares the grant reports and makes sure all invoices are paid.
According to Charles Hardman, administrative captain, in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, there is a full-time deputy and two part-time employees who work with litter crews and recycle anything found to recycle.
Andrew Booker, environmental supervisor of OEPA’s Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management, told the board the OEPA understands the sheriff departments have an important role and it is a very valuable program.
“Based on what I know – we (OEPA) support the continuation of these sheriff department programs,” he said. “I will relay to those writing the district’s solid waste plan that I suggest three deputies in Stark County instead of five. The other two counties proposals seem fine to me. This will be a compromise for Stark County.
“I am uncomfortable with five deputies being used in Stark County. If you want to use five, then I would think there is other funding available for that. If we get a surveillance camera and some portable scales to help the deputies, then five is just too many. I am here today to hash out a compromise so we can get the solid waste plan completed by the end of the year.”
The board also approved the job offers for the new district employees and rate structure. In Tuscarawas County, Jackie Smith is the recycling coordinator and Eva Newsome is administrative assistant. The education position is vacant.
Stark County has five employees and Wayne County has two, with the education position vacant.
