In an effort to save the City of Columbia money, the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Justin McKenzie decided Aug. 2 to close the rubbish site on Mississippi 586 in Foxworth, effective this Friday. However, an alternate site is available at 971 Columbia Purvis Rd.
The Aldermen and McKenzie discussed the costs of operating the rubbish site, which previously took the place of the public, city owned landfill near the airport.
The Airport Road site had to be closed to the public in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration restrictions and contractual obligations during the airport expansion.
It was determined that it is in the best interest of the city and its residents to close the rubbish site in order to reduce the cost of sanitation operations and allow the city to move the employee there to another area of the public works department. However, The household garbage transfer station on 586 will continue to operate as usual.
The alternate site on Columbia Purvis Road will be available for rubbish and debris drop off. The new privately-owned location, MC Environmental LLC, will take all items allowed in a class one rubbish field, such as shingles, boards, limbs, bricks, concrete, construction and demolition waste and more. It will function much like the city site.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the city to rethink its rubbish waste and save the city money," McKenzie said. "Yes, there will be a cost for debris trucks, hauling and tipping, but the massive cost to rent equipment, staff the site, electricity, handling and hauling again to the rubbish pit has been a burden on the city. This is the right time to rethink our operation and move forward."
The next regularly scheduled Board of Aldermen meeting is Aug. 16 at 4 p.m.
