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Constant vandalism and a blatant disregard for stipulations that items such as this insulation-filled bundle of debris – left at the Bear Creek convenience site Oct. 4 – need to instead be dumped at the county’s sanitation center, has propelled the department and commissioners alike to take necessary action.
Robbinsville – Updates on the Graham County Urgent Care and Family Practice, and the Graham County Sanitation Department were provided during Dec. 19’s Graham County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Sanitation department director Gavin Colvard discussed an issue with local garbage business and municipalities dumping prices. Currently, small businesses who pick up bagged garbage are able to dispose trash in cans for free.
The department believes this is not practical. Colvard and the board discussed that businesses could dump at the sanitation sites like larger companies, but the price would not be fair. Large companies are charged $60 to dump because those loads include other trash, like wood.
The board approved a motion to charge smaller businesses the exact cost to dump instead of $60. The exact cost has not been determined, but the board suggested $35 – plus a $2 tax.
The board also approved a motion for municipalities to be charged the exact cost.
Colvard also brought up ideas for new manned hours of the sanitation sites. Currently, Graham County sanitation is open 10 hours a day. The board is waiting to see what hours will be best. Colvard discussed employees possibly working 12 hours every day or staggered between the sanitation sites.
If the hours are increased, more employees are needed.
A credit app idea was also mentioned for dumping garbage. County clerk Kim Crisp explained that some people could just give their name when paying. Another idea floated about is if someone wants to pay a monthly bill, they could use the credit app instead of paying with debit or cash at the window.
Urgent care
County citizens are still desperately waiting on the return of local urgent care. Since the re-closing of the facility in August, remodeling has been underway and new equipment has been added.
Modifications to accommodate the county’s new x-ray machine will be complete by the end of the month, according to commissioner Connie Orr. A vote was made in a previous meeting to train someone to use the GE X-ray.
The search for a provider is on-going.