‘Trash talk’ key on county’s agenda Monday

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, March 15, 2011

There was a lot of trash talk going on at Monday’s commission meeting.

There wasn’t any fussing and fighting. Instead, commissioners discussed the renewal of the Allied Waste garbage collection contract and the upcoming Spring Clean-Up week.

Commissioners approved the renewal of the residential garbage collection contract with Allied Waste. The three-year contract includes a 1.5 percent price increase for customers. The 21 cents increase is effect June 1 and will raise the monthly garbage bill for Allied customers from $14.51 per month to $14.72.

Rory Cassady, Allied’s municipal service manager, asked that residents bag all garbage before placing it inside the garbage containers.

In an effort to beautify the county, the Andalusia Chamber of Commerce and the Covington County People Against a Littered State (PALS) announced the week of March 20-27 is designated as spring clean up week.

Jan White and Janice Castleberry, PALS members, spoke on behalf of the committee about the upcoming event.

Complimentary trash bags will be provided for roadside litter collection and are available at the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce, White said.

“We’re asking that residents join with their neighbors, church groups, civic groups or whomever to clean up your road sides and neighborhoods,” she said. “Every one of us can do our part to make our community beautiful.”

The filled trash bags can be placed in one’s trash container for pick up on your regular garbage collection day.

White also commended the Straughn High School baseball team, Diamond Dolls and parents for picking up a dump truck load of trash in February.

“This was their third time doing this I think,” she said. “That’s quite an accomplishment.”

White asked that residents with dumping complaints to report them to the Covington County Health Department at 334-222-1175.

For more information about the clean up, call the Chamber of Commerce at 334-222-2030 or Jan White at 334-222-2907.

In other business, the commission:

• declared various items as surplus and voted to sell them on govdeals.com;

• reappointed Commissioner Bragg Carter to the Alabama Rural Transportation Planning Committee;

• appointed Sammy Glover to the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission’s board of directors;

• signed a resolution honoring Andalusia High School basketball coach Richard Robertson for his longstanding career and 701 wins.