Illegal dumpers face a fine of up to $500
The Flomaton Town Council voted to keep the dumpster behind town hall for the time being and will install cameras to be monitored by dispatchers to catch and prosecute illegal dumpers with a fine of up to $500.
The dumpster is designed to be used by Flomaton residents only and is only designed for debris not household garbage, tires, chemicals or electronics. Businesses and commercial operations are not allowed to use the dumpsters, which is free of charge to the citizens.
Utilities Superintendent Shaun Moye said there is a problem with people who don't live inside the town limits of Flomaton and some from Florida dumping items into the dumpster, noting that about 80 percent to the trash dumped is coming from Florida. He also said it costs the town about $400 every time the dumpster is hauled off and it averages about three times a month.
Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said he checked with Jay and Century that both have dumpsters for its citizens and both towns keep them behind a fence and is only accessible Monday through Friday.
Councilman Charlie Reardon suggested putting in behind a fence and have people come to town hall to get a permit to dump. Bondurant also dispatchers will have a hard time monitoring the dumpster 24-7.
Councilman Buster Crapps said the town would probably be better off without it, but said the citizens he's talked to want the council to keep the dumpster. He also said they like it open on weekends.
“We have a first class police department,” Crapps said. “You can't tell me they can't stop dumping. If you want a fence, fine by me.”
Bondurant said the police department is short handed and that the dispatchers don't have the time to monitor it.
Moye said he didn't think a fence would stop the problem because people would then just toss the trash over the fence or leave it outside for somebody to pick up.
Moye said the illegal dumping slowed down some after photographs of the overflowing dumpsters were published in the Tri-City Ledger on March 21 but said he said he saw a contractor dumping debris in the dumpster Monday.
“You said Joe's article slowed it down,” Crapps said. “Bust two or three with $500 fines and it will slow it down.”
Flomaton resident Larry Jones said he hopes the town keeps the dumpster, saying he has used it several times to get rid of cardboard boxes that he would otherwise probably have to burn.
“Lets try something and if it doesn't work we'll try something else,” Crapps said.
The council agreed to install at least two cameras around the dumpster to monitor who's dumping and what they are dumping and then prosecute those found to be dumping illegally.
