District wants answers on clean-up (05/20/08)

Creating a litter pick-up program along county roads sounds like a good idea.

But members of a local group want to check out possible risks and liabilities before committing to the proposal.

Members of the Jay County Solid Waste District board of directors, following up on an idea first discussed in April, said Monday they wanted to talk to an attorney and the group's liability insurance carrier before moving forward.

The concept would be modeled after a state adopt-a-highway program in which groups or families pledge to pick up trash along a section of road at least four times per year.

The Indiana Department of Transportation provides training, pick-up of the bags of trash collected and a sign noting the name of the group or organization that has adopted the stretch of road.

"What kind of liability would we have on something like that?" board member and Jay County Commissioner Gary Theurer asked during discussion of the proposal.

"There's a lot of safety issues," added Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier, also a member of the board.

Jay County Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Faron Parr and Theurer, all members of the waste district board, said they planned to check with their attorney on the matter.

Kay Hayes, director of the local waste district, said she is not aware of any solid waste districts in Indiana that run similar programs.

She said that she would insist on a training program for any groups interested in participating. The training would include traffic safety tips, along with safety in handling possibly hazardous materials.

Miller wondered if groups would be willing to adopt county roads without a payment incentive. The district's biggest current program is drop-off recycling on Saturdays. Not-for-profit groups are paid $150 per day to staff the recycling trailers.

Also present at Monday's meeting was Portland city councilman Bill Gibson.

In other business, Hayes said she is beginning the process of putting together the 2009 budget.

"If you've got anything (to add to the budget) ... now would be the time to mention," Hayes said.

Also Monday, board members:

•Discussed what to do about a district-owned Ford pick-up truck. Hayes mentioned last month that she would like to search for a hybrid or flex-fuel van, but she said Monday that vehicles that would meet the needs of the district aren't available in "greener" options.

She said that Portland Street/Parks Department superintendent Jeff Harker asked her recently about the possibility of buying the 1999 pick-up should the district decide to sell it.

"What is our reason for getting rid of it if it's such a good truck?" Theurer asked.

"I was looking for something that's keeping more with what we do, in terms of ... the environment," said Hayes.

•Approved claims totaling $23,213.38, leaving the district with a checking account balance of $128,683.88 and investments of $51,466.80. The district made $30,414 last month, based on a $1.25 per ton fee imposed on 24,577.01 tons of trash deposited into the Jay County Landfill.

The district's checking and investment accounts are at the Portland Banking Center of the First Bank of Berne. The interest rates are .3 percent for checking, and 1.14 percent for the investment account.

Board members asked Hayes to check on rates and options for the district's accounts.[[In-content Ad]]