County wants to switch to Ryland Environmental

If their legal team gives its okay, the Jeff Davis County Commission will be changing the company handling solid waste services here.
John Nail, representing Ryland Environmental waste management service, had made presentations to the County Commission and addressed the commissioners at their November meeting last week. He said he had also made a presentation to the City of Hazlehurst.
Apparently dissatisfied with the work of Republic Services, the commission has been exploring a switch to Ryland. And after Nail’s presentation last week, the commission voted unanimously to approve the contract with Ryland if County Attorney Nick Kinsley reviews and okays the contract.
Nail said that utilizing compactors at the existing Farmer Street waste collection site would be a great help. Commissioner Vann Wooten asked if the county would still need dumpsite attendees and Nail said the county would still be responsible for the employee at the dumpsite. Nail said the company could use the existing cans at the solid waste sites and said if any needed replacing, they would be replaced at Ryland’s expense.
Nail also proposed that all county residents could bring up to 300 lbs. of waste for compacting at the Farmer Street site, which would enable the county to close one of its existing solid waste collection sites.
Ryland will also be bringing waste from other area counties and communities to the compacting site, and those agencies would pay a fee for the service with a portion of that fee going to Jeff Davis County to reduce its waste collection costs.
Local businesses and contractors could also bring waste to the Farmer Street site.
Ryland will also haul metals to Barber Recycling for the county.
In other action at Thursday’s meeting, the commissioners …
… welcomed newly elected Blackburn District Commissioner Rob Stone to his first commission meeting.
… appointed Stephanie Reese to an opening on the Jeff Davis County Library Board.
… agreed to appoint Commissioner James Benjamin to continue serving as the county representative on the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission.
… agreed to advertise for two openings on the Board of Tax Assessors.
… approved beginning the process of closing Melvin Road and Kay McDaniel Road.
… heard an update from County Administrator Jayme Crosby. Crosby said property tax bills were mailed out last week and the project at Towns Bluff Heritage Center is waiting for a sign-off from the Department of Natural Resources.
… approved the normal holiday bonuses for county employees.
… heard updates from Fire Chief/Emergency Management Agency Director Charles Wasdin. Wasdin presented two quotes for new, battery powered extrication equipment and recommended the commissioners accept the bid from North American Fire Equipment Company, d.b.a. Nafeco. The commissioners voted to purchase the recommended equipment from Nafeco.
… agreed to deed back property, previously used for a communications tower, to the original landowner Ethelyn Creech.
… met in closed session to discuss personnel and real estate. After reopening the meeting, the commissioners voted to begin the process to auction off property, acquired by the county through tax forfeiture procedures. The property is located on Brooker Street near the Jeff Davis Youth Center. The commissioners also voted to transfer county employee Donnie Yawn from the courthouse to the road department.