BENTONVILLE — With the spring and fall cleanups now well-established events, Benton County is looking at ways to expand its environmental programs.
Teresa Sidwell, the county’s environmental coordinator, briefed the county’s justices of the peace on the results of the spring and fall cleanup events and previewed other programs she hopes to implement or expand in 2013.
At A Glance
Committee Action
Benton County’s Committee of 13 voted Tuesday to forward to the full Quorum Court:
-Authorizing the county judge to apply for a grant for the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department for rescue stabilization equipment.
-Authorizing the county judge to apply for a grant to implement an alternative dispute resolution program.
-Appointing Rick Williams to the county Planning Board replacing Lane Gurel.
-Levying 2012 property taxes the general fund and the road fund for collection in 2013.
-Transferring $7,500 between categories and line items in the Sheriff’s Office budget for the Internet Crimes Against Children Grant.
-Appropriating $11,817 in the Criminal Warrant Reduction Grant Fund of the Sheriff’s Office for overtime accrued in serving warrants.
Source: Staff Report
According to Sidwell, the county collected more material for disposal in 2012 than in the two cleanups held in 2011, even though the 2012 events were four hours in length rather than the six-hour events held in 2011.
Sidwell said more people attended the 2012 cleanup events and the county gathered more bulky waste for disposal, and more metal, more electronic equipment and more tires for recycling.
Justice of the Peace Kurt Moore asked Sidwell if the cleanup events were reducing the number of illegal dumps in the county. Sidwell said that problem seems unaffected by the cleanup events and she suggested people who take advantage of the organized cleanup events to dispose of unwanted items and those who dump their trash and other items illegally are different groups.
“I think the only way we’re going to be able to stop that kind of behavior is by our environmental officers prosecuting and through education,” Sidwell said of the illegal dumping.
Sidwell said one new element of the 2012 cleanup events was the participation of Habitat For Humanity, which garnered a significant amount of paint, furniture and other household items for reuse. Moore suggested the program might be expanded by inviting the Salvation Army and other groups to participate and Sidwell said she is already planning to reach out to additional groups.
Justice of the Peace Tom Allen suggested the county begin asking participants in the cleanup events for information on their residences, so the county can define target areas to provide with information about future cleanup events.