Roadside dumpers beware; changes coming

Fed up with his deputies having to take care of other people’s trash dumped in or alongside county roads, Sheriff Kenneth Tidwell said Monday he’s going to do something about it. And he has the full backing of county commissioners, who’ve also had their people taking time from other duties to clean up the roadways.
“In the past it’s been our policy at the Sheriff’s Office, if we can determine who’s responsible, we’ve given them the opportunity to clean it up rather than be prosecuted,” said Sheriff Tidwell. “Due to the increase in dumping, I’m going to change that policy.”
Tidwell said there’ll be no warnings this year. He said violators of the county’s no-dumping policy will be prosecuted and made monetarily responsible for the cleanup.
“We’re losing money on trash dumping,” he said. “We’re going to try to make people responsible if we can find out who they are.”
Illegal trash dumping became a subject at this week’s commissioner meeting when District 1 representative Wade Anders showed a photograph he had taken of a 14-foot fiberglass boat somebody had abandoned in the middle of a road in his district just a short distance north of the Washita-Custer county line. He said it was filled with “junk” and other trash.
“I had a refrigerator standing in the middle of a road last year,” added Anders.
“I had two (tree) stumps last year,” said Board Chairman Lyle Miller.
“I’m like you. I’m tired of it,” Anders told Tidwell.
Speaking of the boat left on County Road 2210 just north of C.R. 1070, Anders said it took him and four of his employees to load it. Among the debris in it were a hot water tank and several tires. The last time the boat was tagged was 2010, he said.
“If people have trash they want to unload, they can do it someplace else,” he added. “We’ve been trying to be nice over the years. Being nice, we’re not getting anybody’s attention.”
Asked the punishment for littering, Tidwell said Wednesday it’s presently a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $500, confinement to the County Jail for up to 30 days, or both a fine and imprisonment.
“In addition, a violator has to make restitution to the property owner affected and has to clean it up,” said the sheriff. “They may also be ordered to pay an amount not to exceed $2,000 to a reward fund.” He said that’s according to Title 21, Section 1761.1 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
“The gist of my conversation with the commissioners,” said Tidwell, “was for whatever reason, these occurrences are increasing and our past policies don’t seem to have much effect. So we’re going to start charging people and let the courts decide how much they’re going to have to pay to get it cleaned up.”
Tidwell said House Bill 2702 which is currently pending in the Oklahoma Legislature would increase the penalties for items over a certain size like couches and washing machines.
“It’s always been an issue,” said Anders, “but it seems it’s gotten worse the last three weeks. I don’t know if it’s the weather or spring cleaning or what. We’re just asking people to dispose of it in the right place, not on a county road or in a canyon or on somebody else’s property.”
He said there are salvage people who will take the larger stuff – people who actually want it for recycling.
Anders thought one place was located right beside his District 1 yard, on the east side of U.S. Highway 183 south of Arapaho.
It turns out the county is not the only local government entity concerned with illegal dumping. The subject also came up briefly at Tuesday’s Clinton City Council meeting when Councilman Jason Hulin inquired if the city was going to hire someone to clean the alleys like it did last summer.
“It depends on how much it’s going to rain in western Oklahoma,” replied City Manager Mark Skiles.
Hulin indicated he was talking about large discarded items, such as furniture, rather than grass. He said the city contracted someone to pick them up last year.
“Last year we went down every alley and cleaned ’em,” said Public Works Director Donald Webb.
“Where did you take them?” asked Councilman Bobby Stewart.
To the city’s disposal site on Glenn Smith Road just south of Gary Boulevard, replied Webb. Clinton residents can take their trash there too.
Back to the boat Anders now has. Before Monday’s meeting ended he declared, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with that boat.”