Garbage Fees Going Up As County Aims To Enhance Collections

Tuscaloosa AL

11 November, 2020

9:26 PM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Some Tuscaloosa County residents will soon see a slight increase in their monthly garbage bills as county officials aim to improve the capabilities of its waste collection services. The Tuscaloosa County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a $2 fee to Waste Management bills for those in the county, which will only apply to county residents and not to those receiving municipal waste services in any of the incorporated cities in the county. The revenue generated from the new fees will be used primarily for disposing of large, bulky items and debris. The new fee will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. Probate Judge and Commission Chair Rob Robertson said Waste Management will continue to operate as it always has, while the enhanced county forces under Public Works will be expanded and outfitted with new capabilities. "As our county has grown, it's more than just pieces [of garbage], it's a waste problem," he said. "It's delivery, it's debris and these tools will allow us to really make an impact." District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker mentioned the possibility of adding a grapple truck, which features a mounted grapple loader capable of lifting and loading bulky waste. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. "The grapple trucks ... they can be used for multiple purposes," Acker said. "They can also pick up limbs and will go a long way toward beautifying the county." According to TrashTrucksOnline.com, an online marketplace for waste collection vehicles and other equipment, new-model grapple trucks can range in price from around $120,000 to more than $250,000. The proposed fee to fund the enhancements saw vocal support from each commissioner, with District 4's Reginald Murray stressing the need for public awareness and education on county services. "For too many years, people have been forced to find dead end roads and dump mattresses that are supposed to go into a landfill," he said. "We really need to promote this." District 2 Commissioner Jerry Tingle pointed to a recent example when he noticed a large pile of debris sitting across from a police station in Brookwood. In providing the anecdote, he underscored the importance of promoting awareness with respect to the range of services offered by the county. "We do need to make sure the mayors of the towns, like out in my district especially, need to know to call in and police their own area and let us know," he said. "I talked to the police chief in Brookwood [Tuesday] and he had no clue. You have a pile of debris across from your station that's been sitting there for three weeks and he didn't know who to call, so I told him to call public service." Robertson suggested the first of next year for a roll out of an educational campaign aimed at getting more residents involved in cleaning up the county, while also incorporating new technology. OTHER COUNTY BUSINESS Commissioners unanimously approved agreements with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) for funding of the repairs to Federal Highway Administration routes in Tuscaloosa County that were damaged in the Feb. 1 flood event. The agreement funds the repairs at 80% coming from Federal Emergency Relief funds, with a 20% match from the county. The two projects are a cross drain repair and slope failure repair on Sipsey Valley Road. Commissioners unanimously approved for Public Works to restripe several school parking lots in District 2, carrying a total price-tag of $21,585. The striping will be done at Brookwood High School, Brookwood Middle School, Brookwood Elementary School, Davis Emerson Middle School and Lake View Elementary School. The cost of the project will be covered in part by a $5,845 donation from Brookwood JROTC, while the remainder will come from District 2 discretionary funds. The Commission did enter into executive session to discuss unspecified litigation, but no action was taken. Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter. You can also download the Patch mobile app, free for Apple and Android mobile devices.