DeKalb County will invest $500,000 to upgrade convenience sites and the local transfer station to address safety concerns and aging infrastructure.
Mayor Patrick Ray said the allocation from its solid waste fund balance allows the county to address driveway repairs and deteriorating steps used by residents to access dumpsters. Ray said the funding will also cover the purchase of three new compactors and additional dumpsters to improve waste collection efficiency.
“I went to the budget committee, asked them if they would move that $500,000 into there to where we could get started on some of those projects,” Ray said. “And hopefully get them completed before the budget year is over this year.”
Ray said the county plans to use the money to repair potholes at site entrances and exits using either gravel or a tar and chip treatment. The project includes bidding out new compactors for the most remote convenience sites to reduce fuel consumption and mileage for county trucks.
“We’re planning on opening a few of the sites on Sundays, but we have to do some things at the transfer station and buy some dumpsters and stuff to make that happen,” Ray said. “So that is some things that they’ll see that is coming up in the near future.”
Ray said the county will also purchase equipment to maintain two inactive landfills. Officials currently use zero-turn lawn mowers to manage the vegetation at those state-mandated sites.
“We’re hoping that with the bush hog, that will be a safer way and a more efficient way to be able to do that,” Ray said.
Ray said the county is utilizing a healthy fund balance to pay for the upgrades immediately rather than spreading the costs over several years. Most convenience sites are located on county-owned land, which allows for the expansion of fencing and the addition of more dumpsters as the local population grows.
“Our convenience sites is one thing that probably every household in our county uses at least one time a week,” Ray said. “So it’s very important that we keep those up to date, keep those safe, and keep those nice for citizens here.”
Ray said the improvements are intended to better accommodate the public and ensure tax dollars are used to maintain the facilities.