The fiscal court has approved a free tipping program that allows residents to dispose of garbage at the transfer station at no charge.
Free tipping is usually an annual event but became a little more complicated this year after closures due to the novel coronavirus.
The county usually relies on work release inmates to help with the program but inmates have not been allowed to leave jail facilities to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
County Judge Executive Gale Cowan said during Friday’s meeting they would have to hire help or residents would have to unload their own garbage to hold the tipping day.
They also discussed the possibility of spreading the free tipping time over more days to help relieve some of the long lines that usually take place.
Magistrates voted to approve the free tipping and gave the judge authority to coordinate with the transfer station.
Also during the special called meeting, the court approved a bid for a new total patcher. Equipment Marketing Company submitted the only bid, offering a reburbished patcher for $44,900. They offered a trade-in of $10,000 and included $5,000 the county was being charged for renting the equipment for one month.
At the request of the court, treasurer Melinda Quinn called the company representative and told him the county must receive the current market value of $11,000 for their trade in and the representative agreed to adjust the bid accordingly.
The court approved the purchase.
The court approved moving Kyle Cundiff from seasonal to a full time position in the road department. The position is opening up after an employee retires this month. Jordan Garmon was hired as a seasonal employee.
All magistrates present voted for the employment except Daryl Flatt, who said he was concerned about having the money in the budget.
Flatt, Sammy Baker, Harold Burton, Greg Caldwell, Billy Coffey and Terry Hadley attended the meeting. Chris Reeder was absent.
The meeting was held in the basement of the courthouse annex and was recorded for viewing on the fiscal court’s Facebook page.
