Changes Coming for Winston Solid Waste Canister
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Changes Coming for Winston Solid Waste Canister
MT 43 News Staff
County Commissioners agreed to add two extra days of access to the Winston Solid Waste Site at their Wednesday, Sept. 20 meeting. After Public Works Supervisor TJ Graveley showed photos of chairs, mattresses and garbage lying in front of the canister they also agreed to allow him to close the walk-in gates and to move the canister site gates out closer to the highway.
Graveley explained the county is losing revenue when people do not bring their furniture and large items to the transfer station near Townsend. Also, people abuse the privilege of having a canister and don’t put their garbage in it. “One of my guys has to clean up the area daily, which is a financial constraint on my department as well as a hazard to the public,” he said.
Graveley hopes closing the walk-in gate will discourage people from dumping garbage in front of the canister. He will also add new signs which will include the new days and hours. “I am pretty sure some of the non-household trash is coming from out-of-county, but we have no way of confirming that,” he said.
Moving the gates closer to the highway approach, Graveley concluded, will hopefully discourage out-of-county users.
The department installed security cameras in the past which were vandalized more than once.
Commissioners asked Graveley about the safety issue of the canister site approach to the highway. The approach is dangerous for entering and exiting because there is no clear line of sight from oncoming vehicles. Commissioner Darrel Folkvord said the county was denied a Montana State Department of Transportation speed study request a year ago. Graveley said he was very aware of the safety issue. However, he had no good solution to the problem.
Graveley’s time frame for changes at the Winston site will be about the end of October. He noted all information for new times will be on the Broadwater County website. The new days and hours will be Tuesdays and Thursdays 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Items such as furniture and mattresses create a safety hazard and should be hauled to the transfer station near Townsend
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 2 Caption: Trash dumped in front of the cannister makes for extra work for the truck driver who must clean up the mess daily
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
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