Garbage issues dominate Martin County Fiscal Court meeting
Martin County workers collected garbage along Rt. 292 in an effort to get caught up in the District 4 area by the end of Friday.
By Lilly Adkins
BSN Associate Editor
INEZ — During a special meeting of the Martin County Fiscal Court Tuesday, April 26, the court voted to terminate the contract of Joe’s Garbage and will now advertise for proposals from individuals to assume the District 4 route at a rate of $14.95 per month, per individual household.
County workers began picking up District 4 garbage on Wednesday, April 27, beginning at the Pike County line and working down Rt. 292. Once that is complete, Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be picked up by the county.
Martin County Judge-Executive Colby Kirk went over a list of things they had been doing since September 2021 to ensure that paying customers in District 4 had reliable garbage service.
“Since our last meeting, I have had numerous calls of citizens not having reliable garbage service,” Kirk said. “We’ve been trying to work on this for the citizens of District 4 for some time now, but things continue to decline. I want to let everyone know the steps the judge’s office has taken over the past seven months.”
Kirk said they sent letters in September 2021 requiring all garbage haulers to provide documentation showing compliance with the contract and the solid waste ordinance.
“All haulers provided that information with the exception of Joe’s Garbage Service,” Kirk said. “Joe’s Garbage Service sent a check for franchise fees, but it was returned from the bank showing insufficient funds.”
Kirk said they attempted in November 2021 to collect on the bad check from Joe’s Garbage Removal but have not been successful.
“In December 2021, we sent a letter requesting payment and mentioned the possibility of a corrective action plan,” Kirk said. “January 21, the court voted to develop a corrective action plan with Joe’s Garbage Removal. The very next day, we met with (owner) Joe Robinson for several hours. Joe still has yet to sign that plan. We asked him to get in compliance in March.”
Kirk said the County Attorney and the judge’s office had numerous phone calls with Joe Robinson on April 11, and two in-person visits took place to address citizens not receiving reliable garbage pickup and requesting the signature on the corrective action plan.
“On April 14, the county attorney sent a letter memorializing conversations, from that week an she requested Joe to return the signed action plan and to provide reliable garbage service,” Kirk said. “On April 18, the county attorney and I met with Joe again to address providing reliable garbage service and the corrective action plan. Citizens willing to pay for garbage service have been refused as was evident at the fiscal court meeting on April 21. As of yesterday, April 25, citizens of District 4 have still not received reliable garbage service. Some are going on three weeks. So, with that in mind, is there any action the court would like to take this evening?”
Robinson was in the courtroom and wanted to speak, but it was a special meeting and Kirk told him there was no time for public comment. He said that he would allow him to come to a regular meeting and have his say; however, he continued to try and speak.
“Joe, buddy, I love you, but I’ve got phone call after phone call. I’ve got pictures of garbage, and I’ve tried to call you Friday, Saturday and can’t get hold of you,” District 4 Magistrate Joe Hunt said. “I’ve got my phone, and it’s rung off the hook, and I’m sick of it. I make a motion to give it to someone else.”
Hunt clarified that he wanted to terminate Robinson’s contract.
The motion was seconded by Magistrate Roger Preece with all in favor.
Kirk asked the court for a motion to advertise for proposals from individuals to assume the District 4 route at a rate of $14.95 per month, per individual household. Preece made a motion for him to advertise, which was seconded by Magistrate Derek Stepp, with all in favor.
At April 21’s regular meeting, numerous people were complaining of their garbage not being picked up and some said they were having issues with the hauler.
Robinson said during the meeting that he had been turned away from the transfer station and that he had to haul his customers’ garbage to Ashland. He also said that with gas prices having risen so much it was costing him more.
Martin County Attorney Melissa Fannin-Phelps told Robinson that he could be turned away for non-payment but that they were supposed to have notified the solid waste coordinator first.
Kirk thanke for coming and then made a statement regarding additional complaints he had received from customers in the district.
“We had additional complaints. I had a meeting with Joe’s Garbage Removal and there was an agreement that fiscal court would do certain things and the hauler would meet certain requirements,” Kirk said. “One, generate monthly reports and turn in dump receipts; two, pay current franchise fees monthly; three, delinquent fees would be addressed three months from the signed agreement and as of this date, April 21, this agreement has not been signed and the hauler has not turned in reports or dump receipts and now the hauler has failed to pick up garbage for paying citizens.”