Carter County Landfill working to operate a recycling drop off site in the city
Published 1:50 pm Tuesday, February 7, 2023
- File Photo Carter County Courthouse.
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BY ROBERT SORRELL
Star Correspondent
The Carter County Landfill is working on plans to again operate a recycling drop off site in the city of Elizabethton.
Since closing recycling drop off sites in Elizabethton at Lions Field and Mill Street, the county commission and landfill staff have considered options to continue providing recycling services for residents.
On Monday night, the Carter County Commission’s landfill committee approved a motion to spend up to $8,000 to open a new recycling drop off site at the recycling center on Cherokee Park Drive. In order to open a site, Landfill Manager Benny Lyons said the gate would be moved back several feet to allow vehicles to access the location.
Costs would also cover the concrete pads for the bins, security cameras and lighting. Lyons said he already has bins for the site.
If completed, Lyons said the site could be open 24 hours a day due to security cameras and lighting.
With the landfill committee’s unanimous decision, the budget committee will consider the matter next week.
Lyons also informed the committee about a recent discovery by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. During an inspection on Dec. 20, 2022, just before the Christmas holiday, Lyons said the state found inadequate maintenance of the leachate management system at the landfill.
Lyons said his staff immediately began to correct the problem. A follow-up inspection will be conducted at a later date.
The landfill manager said he believes heavy rainfall caused the problem with the leachate management system.
The committee also approved a motion to purchase equipment from the county highway department for $20,000. The highway department plans to purchase a tractor and trailer.
Lyons also spoke about a shortage in landfill staff. He said he is in need of drivers that have a commercial driver’s license with tanker endorsement.
The committee spoke at length about pay for landfill employees, as well as other county departments, including the highway department and finance department. They said pay increases would need to be discussed during the next budget cycle in order to hire and retain qualified employees.
