Jay residents fear more litter after transfer station removal

JAY — The Jay transfer station, which allows north-end residents an option for waste disposal for a $5 minimum tipping fee, has been operating at a loss for three years, according to Santa Rosa County staff. The Board of County Commissioners received a staff recommendation to close the station, with the availability of trash pickup in the area, but a plea from Jay residents has the county looking into keeping the station with reduced operating days.

The Board of County Commissioners received a staff recommendation to close the station, with the availability of trash pickup in the area, but a plea from Jay residents has the county looking into keeping the station with reduced operating days.

The station lost $30,670 during fiscal year 2014-2015, $24,682 for 2015-2016, and $22,792 for fiscal year 2016-2017 (October to March).

About 10 Jay residents who attended the latest commission meeting were against the move to close the station.

“I realize (the transfer station) runs at a deficit, but a lot of people use that,” Mayor Kervin Qualls said.

“We have such a trash problem now with people not wanting to pay $5 and get on ECUA,” resident Carla Hinote said. “There is so much trash because there is so much vacant land. People dump where they want to. There’s nothing we can do about it now. If this closes, an astronomical amount of trash will be dumped into the woods.”

“I have people that work for me clean the road that goes around our facility down to the boat landing,” Jay business owner Larry Dilmore said. “We probably spend with contractors $5-$7,000 a year to keep the road clean. It’s a big problem in the north end.”

County staffers will look into reducing the station’s operating days from five days to three days to save money, after discussion between residents and commissioners.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Jay residents fear more litter after transfer station removal