Corbin to begin strict enforcement of garbage can ordinance

Corbin officials say an effort to require the use of certain size garbage cans by citizens in the city is about to get serious after weeks of warnings and notifications – and no one, not even the town’s highest elected officials, appears to be immune.

Gary Kelly, Director of the Corbin Public Works Department, said Tuesday that citizens will be required to put out all garbage for pick up inside lined cans that are no larger than 35 gallons. For years, the city has had an ordinance on the books that strictly regulates garbage pick-up, and the size of the cans people can use, but it has gone unenforced.

"Nobody wanted to go through the headache of enforcing it, but it’s just something that needs to be done," Kelly said Tuesday. "We don’t want to upset everybody with it, but we know some people have gotten set in their ways and it needs to change … We are going to start citing people."

The problem, Kelly explained, is that many people are setting garbage out on the roadside for pickup in nothing but thin bags.

"The dogs and cats, coons and crows all get into that and we’ve had garbage everywhere. We’ve had garbage all over the place. It’s just nasty," Kelly said. "Our guys either have to pick it up or else leave it there for kids and everybody else to run across. That just isn’t good."

Kelly said it is common to find things like condoms, feminine hygiene products, rotten food and other disgusting items just lying about because animals have gotten into the bags.

"It just flat looks bad to see all that trash lying around right in the middle of the city."

By ordinance, garbage cans used for trash collection can’t be over 32 gallons. Kelly said since those size cans are difficult to find, officials are going to allow 35-gallon cans instead.

"We don’t have trucks that have big lifts on them that you can hook up to those 64 galloon cans. It’s very expensive to do that," Kelly said. "Our guys have to be able to lift them. Anything bigger than 35 gallons becomes dangerous and is a worker’s compensation issue because they are more likely to get hurt."

Kelly said he and garbage men with Public Works have been notifying homeowners who are in violation for about two months. Some garbage cans have already been "condemned" as unusable. In coming weeks, Kelly said any inappropriate cans will be hauled off and the homeowner cited. A citation carries a possible fine of up to $100 for a first offense, more for additional offenses.

He has the backing of city officials who say the problem has gotten out of hand and needs to be reigned in.

Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney laughs when he points out that no one that lives in the city will be given preferential treatment when it comes to this issue.

"I got cited. They condemned my garbage cans," the Mayor says. "I didn’t even know it, but mine were too big. I had to get new ones. I don’t have any problem with it. That’s a good ordinance and we should enforce it. If I’m wrong, then I should be cited. I support them."

"He didn’t fuss. He was very nice about it," Kelly pointed out. "He’s a city official and he should represent what is right. What goes for one goes for everybody. There are no exceptions."

McBurney pointed out an additional problem with homeowners that lay out garbage by the roadside in bags. He said it is common for people that live in nearby communities outside of Corbin, where garbage pickup isn’t required, to slip into the city and put their garbage out with someone else’s.

"I know they come off the Falls Hwy. and unload it at places on Fifth Street and elsewhere," McBurney said. "If everyone that lives in the city has their garbage in cans, it will be easier to put a stop to that."

New Corbin City Manager Michael Phillips said he fully supports enforcement of the ordinance. He said other cities he’s managed do something similar, or have more robust garbage collection services to help with the problem.

"We do intend to enforce this," Phillips said. "If people are cited its because they are doing something wrong and we’ve already warned them before. It is going to be fair."