The county bought new fencing as part of ongoing efforts to contain trash at the Allen County Landfill.
Commissioners approved spending $82,700 for a portable fencing system. It will be built on top of the hill where trash is collected, with 10 panels 15-feet high and 24-feet wide.
The panels are shaped more like a soccer goal and are 8-feet deep for greater trash collection. The netting is a welded, galvanized steel coated in nylon to protect it from the elements and allow litter to slide to the ground easily.
Commissioners approved the purchase at the request of Public Works Director Mitch Garner. He previously proposed a taller fence, 40-feet high, similar to netting found at places such as Top Golf. That type of fence, though, would cost about $1 million.
Commissioners said they thought this was a good compromise.
The current cell at the landfill has nearly reached its maximum height. Crews are constructing a new cell but it won’t be open for about a year.
In the meantime, the county wanted to better control trash that tends to blow into neighboring properties. Two part-time employees were hired to pick up trash, and at times the county has pulled crews from other departments to help.
Tuesday’s discussion did not include any talk about recycling. Last week, a representative of Allen County Recycling asked the county to consider some sort of help with the program, such as hiring someone to direct recycling efforts or devoting part of an employee’s time to recycling.
Tree removal
Several trees on 1400 Road have been torn out on the east side between Oregon and Rhode Island.
Most of the trees were dead but crews decided to remove all of them, Road and Bridge Director Mark Griffith told commissioners. Roots have grown up under the highway, taking moisture away from the road base. The road needs moisture to prevent cracking and crumbling, Griffith said, which is why the side of the road is damaged.
The tree removal was done with the county’s existing equipment and may not look visually appealing. Griffith said crews will come back through to make the area look better. The county also has purchased new equipment that will do a better job at removing trees, but it hasn’t yet arrived.
Griffith also gave an update on efforts to spray water on roads for dust control, particularly West Virginia Road where crews converted blacktop to gravel to replace culverts and allow them to settle.
Crews have been watering some roads once or twice a week but Griffith wants to buy a water truck that can pull water from nearby sources.
IN OTHER news, commissioners:
• Congratulated Chuck Apt on his promotion to magistrate judge for the 31st Judicial District effective June 1. Apt, who has handled legal matters for the county for 30 years, submitted his resignation. As a magistrate judge, he will be based in Iola and will handle such cases as probate, misdemeanor crimes, child-in-need-of-care cases, juvenile cases, preliminary hearings for felonies and small claims. He will be sworn in on Thursday morning with a public robing ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m. June 30.
• Agreed to a request from Nicki Gossett, president of the Elsmore Ruritan Club, to give $1,000 to the Elsmore Days celebration, scheduled for the second weekend in September.
