No more warnings: Saline County ready to cite illegal dumping, burning

After months of working to educate Saline County residents about legal solid waste removal, the county's illegal dumping control officer is planning to issue citations to those who violate the laws and ordinances.

The Saline County Regional Solid Waste Management District Board decided at its June 17 meeting that issuing citations, which carry potential fines of up to $10,000, is necessary to reduce illegal trash burning and dumping in the county. Until now, the board has relied on verbal warnings.

The violations include open burning of household trash, disposing of trash in an illegal manner, creating an illegal dump site, littering and -- for trash hauling businesses -- violating the state's tarp law by not covering the waste load, according to the county's website.

"These codes have existed long before my presence here," said Shane Knight, who has worked as the district's control officer for nine months. "[The board] took a year to educate people about how to and who to report illegal dumping. Now I have the 'hard copy' citation at my disposal."

The formal citation directs the accused violator to court, where a district judge will decide whether to issue a fine.

Bob McKeon, a board member from Alexander, said the board authorized Knight to issue the citations in response to repeat offenders who have continued illegal dumping, despite warnings. McKeon said that the biggest problem has been illegal tire dumping.

"A lot of people think 'this is my property, my junk and I can do as I please,'" he said. "But it's against the law. Hopefully the fines will get them to court and get the message out."

McKeon said illegal dumping and burning is "a big issue" for the county. The board had discussed authorizing the fines for three months before deciding to go ahead after hearing about "a couple of really bad repeat incidents" of burning, McKeon said.

"We hope that when some pay hefty fines, it sends a message to deter others and tell them that this is not something our district takes lightly," he said. "It's illegal for a reason -- we want people to know it's very harmful to our environment."

In addition to Knight, Saline County sheriff's Deputy Jack Campbell helps enforce illegal-dumping laws, Knight said. Before Knight was hired in the full-time position, he said, these laws were enforced solely by a single deputy, who had several other duties.

"Now my job is a 100 percent dedication to this," Knight said.

Knight said he has yet to issue one of the citations.

Jeff Arey, a board member from Benton, said the citations are just an effort to keep Saline County beautiful. Though he was absent for the vote, Arey said he agreed with the board's decision.

"We've done everything we could to send the message about what is illegal," Arey said. "Now, we just realized, it was time to put some teeth into these laws."

Metro on 06/26/2015

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