The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@alltel.net

By RICHARD HARRIS (From the July 26, 2006 issue)
   Members of the Marion County Board of Commissioners will hold a special work session on Thursday, July 27 at 6:15 p.m. in the conference room of the Extension Office to discuss details of the recently passed curbside garbage pick-up service, which is expected to start in October. The budget is also listed as a topic for the work session.
   As previously reported, the commissioners recently voted to replace the current garbage system for a system that will offer weekly curbside pick-up and be paid by each household (estimated price around $16 per month). Households will be provided with 95-gallon trashcans on wheels with tilt lids.
   The commissioners recently released a statement on the advantages they believe the new system will have. These include:
   * County can close the open-greenbox sites;
   * Citizens appreciate the convenience of the curbside collection program;
   * The curbside collection is economical;
   * County can dispose of front-load trucks and containers;
   * County maintains control of the various types of waste generated within the county and how it is being handled to comply with Environmental Protection Division regulations.
   The statement from the commissioners may be read in its entirety in this week’s Letters to the Editor section on Page 4.
   The commissioners plan to provide updates on how the system will work in the time leading up to the transition from the current system to the curbside collection system. Commission Chairman George Neal Jr. recently answered several questions about the system, including:
   * Will each household in the county be required to participate in the curbside garbage pickup? Answer: Yes, it will be mandatory.
   * Will all “dumpsters” be removed from their present locations? Answer: Yes, all current dumpsters will be removed.
   * If people live on dirt roads that are county-owned, will the garbage truck travel down those roads for pick-up, or will the residents have to take their garbage containers to the nearest paved road? Answer: This is still being worked out. It is my goal for them to go down every dirt road that allows them an opportunity to turn around.
   * Will each household receive a particular container and will they have to purchase the container? If a household wants an extra container due to a large volume of garbage, will they have to pay for an extra one? Answer: All households will receive a 95-gallon container.
   Note: Work sessions of the County Commission are open to the public, just like regular meetings, but there are a couple of differences between work sessions and other types of meetings. Work sessions are designed for