Hines: Recycling center susccessful in 2009

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer

It was business as usual during the first Pulaski County Fiscal Court meeting of 2010.

The court took a look back at 2009 with Pulaski County Solid Waste Coordinator Gerald Hines, who presented the magistrates and Pulaski County Judge-executive Barty Bullock with recycling totals for the last year.

According to information provided by Hines, approximately 2,324 miles of roadway were picked up during 2009, with a total of 15,251 garbage bags collected.

With more than 275 businesses now participating in the recycling program, along with the more than 1,000 county residents counted who recycle regularly, the center saw 3,177,584 pounds of material recycled in 2009.

According to number provided by Hines, the following was processed through the Pulaski County Recycling Center in 2009:

• Assorted office paper: 263,577 pounds

• White ledger paper: 1,686 pounds

• Newsprint: 481,826 pounds

• Plastic #1: 63,649 pounds

• Plastic #2: 62,545 pounds

• Banding: 16,959 pounds

• Clear plastic: 21,696 pounds

• D-mix plastic: 46,421 pounds

• Magazines: 93,853 pounds

• Cardboard: 1,816,298 pounds

• Aluminum cans: 16,304 pounds

• Tin cans: 39,964 pounds

• Aluminum scrap: 440 pounds

• Scrap metals: 198,050 pounds

• E-waste: 52,586 pounds

• Oil: 1,730 gallons

• Batteries: 12 units

• Air units: 3 units

• Microwaves: 326 units

Hines noted that the Pulaski County Road Department is assisting in clearing out a section of the bank that borders the center to make way for the center’s expansion, made possible through a $153,396 grant that will allow the solid waste department to purchase a sorting system.

“If you have to put angles in the line, it can double your cost,” Hines said.

Hines said he’s hoping the bank can be cleared enough to allow the sorting system to be placed in the newly expanded building without any angles.

Hines also said Ferguson Mayor Allen Dobbs has requested that the city transition into mandatory garbage collection in an effort to keep Ferguson cleaner.

Fourth District Magistrate Glenn Maxey told the court he spoke with Dobbs and several Ferguson city council members about the switch, noting they all felt mandatory garbage collection would benefit their community.

Hines said the request will go before the 109 Board within the next month.

In other news from Tuesday’s Pulaski County Fiscal Court meeting:

• Pulaski County Sheriff Todd Wood presented his office’s 2010 budget to the court, noting that the budget remained largely the same as the 2009 budget. The court accepted that budget.

• Pulaski County Clerk Ralph Troxtell also presented his office’s 2010 budget to the court, and that was approved as well.

• Attorney Bill Neikirk, representing residents on Lakeview Drive in Burnside in the Garland Bend Subdivision, requested that the court consider closing a portion of a small county lane in the area. The court stated they would begin the process of advertising for a hearing on the possible closure.

• Pulaski County 911 Director Lisa Gilbert introduced two new employees to the court. The hiring of Becky Childers, secretary, and Hilton Duncan were both approved by the court.

• The court voted to close .029 miles of Meadow Drive and .044 miles of Walnut Drive, both located off the 914 Bypass. Bullock noted the court held hearings on the closures, but that no one attended those hearings.

• The court approved a request from the road department for 1,500 tons of rock.

• Pulaski County Treasurer Arlene Young presented the finance report, which included a bill list, a nunc pro tunc bill list involving the county’s Scattered Site Housing project, and the finance report for the month of December 2009. The court approved all three.

Young also asked that the court approve a list of budget adjustments and transfers and several budget amendments resulting from several grants received by the county in the current fiscal year totaling $959,304.

Young said the county received $509,790 for Mill Springs, a tax assessment for the intermodal park at $46,000, $250,000 for the Regional High Growth Training Center, and the $153,396 recycling center grant.

The court approved those amendments and adjustments.

• Third District Magistrate Tommy Barnett asked that the court approve sending a letter to the state to request that a traffic study be carried out at the intersection of Ky. 1247 and Oak Leaf Lane. Barnett noted that the area is experiencing an increase in new homes, and he said the heavy school traffic coupled with the future location of a new church on Oak Leaf may call for caution lights at the 1247 end.

The court approved Barnett’s request.

• Bullock also noted that the county’s request that employees sign up for volunteer layoffs in the coming months only applies to departments where all employees will not be needed.

The next Pulaski County Fiscal Court meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

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