By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER – Managing editor
Trash and debris have become a growing problem in East Brewton since Hurricane Ivan tore through town, and East Brewton City Councilman Wayne Howard is sick of getting slack from people blaming the city for the amount of trash that has accumulated over the past year.
The main problem, he said, is that contractors who have come to town are taking advantage of the city's trash pick-up by placing large debris items along the curb. The city's dump trucks are being overloaded by the amount of debris and sometimes don't have enough room for trash from the remainder of the route, officials said.
According to Howard, the city is paying so much for trash dumpster fees it's becoming a burden on the budget. Garbage expenses are $282,000 of the 2005-2006 city budget, according to records.
Howard added that he wouldn't be opposed to the city implementing a fee if &#8220something” needed to be picked up.
According to Councilman Byron Palmer, contractors in the past were in charge of getting the debris removed, but since Hurricane Ivan &#8220we've become lapsed.”
Howard said Monday night that he doesn't think it's right that the city has to pick up the tab of contractors remodeling a home and placing debris on the curb. He said he believes the contractor should be in charge of hauling it off.
Palmer said he believed that if the contractor is getting paid by a homeowner or business then the company should incur the cost of the debris to be hauled off.
Mayor Terry Clark has put three councilmen in charge of looking at surrounding city ordinances and will be accumulating information on how they handle the their debris accumulation and hauling. A proposal should be up for discussion and vote at the next city council meeting.