Community Speaks Out Against Landfill Expansion and Garbage Collection Fee
A trash collection fee for Dothan is for sure a hot topic. Monday night lots of people spoke out against the landfill expansion and the possible garbage pick-up charge to pay for it.-->By: Jamiese Price
Updated: November 27, 2012
Dothan commissioners are considering a $15 garbage collection fee per month to help pay for the city's landfill expansion.
Monday night community members spoke out against the fee and the landfill expansion. Many on hand were from the eastside of the city where the existing landfill is located.
"We haven't solved the current landfill problems with the existing landfill and now we're talking about adding more to it," said one Dothan resident.
Another said, "Every time a flat fee is put on equally for everybody it ends of being a regressive tax on the poor."
Sherry Johnson lives near the landfill she said the expansion would put it closer to her backyard.
"We said no to this landfill in 87. We said no to Perdue. You can't even have a family function almost without that odor," said Johnson.
City Manager Mike West presented the proposals at Monday's public hearing. In addition to the landfill expansion, commissioners are considering expanding the recycling program, which requires an automated garbage truck and 7,000 recycle bins.
This comes up to a little over $9 million.
"I understand their concerns, but I just want to point out that no matter where we build a landfill anyone in the area is going to oppose it," said West.
West said the city considered other alternatives, but those choices also come with a fee.
"It will cost us about half as much less by expanding the landfill there instead of moving it somewhere else," explained West.
Houston County, Ozark, Headland, and Enterprise all have a monthly garbage collection fee.
Headland is the highest at $20.
Commissioners will continue this discussion next week at Tuesday's commission meeting.
