Lee County commissioners discuss returning weekend dumpsters, phasing out scheduled bulk pickup; locations and enforcement left to staff

At a Lee County Commission work session, commissioners discussed reopening weekend roll‑off dumpster sites and doing away with scheduled bulk pickup, with Commissioner Drewry presenting a motion to explore restoring weekend dumpsters and returning to staffed amnesty days.

The proposal is prompted by public demand and, according to a commission speaker, potential cost savings: “we're gonna save minimum of $800,000 a year on what bulk pickups cost us right now versus going to the dumpsters,” a commissioner said during the discussion. Commissioners did not vote on the motion during the work session; they directed staff to return with a site plan and schedule.

The commission asked county staff to coordinate site dates with the Lee County Board of Education, citing frequent school events in spring and the need to avoid conflicts. Commissioners discussed April and May dates; one tentative date mentioned for April was April 12, but members emphasized that sites would not be opened without school clearance. Staff (John and Justin) were asked to check calendars and return with a draft schedule covering April–June so the board could clear dates in advance.

Commissioners and staff reviewed potential sites already under county control or previously used: Mott's, a site on U.S. 29 South near Auburn, a flat lot on 29 North in Beulah (which would require land clearing), and other county parcels including a site near Road 275. Several speakers said some sites would need fence repairs or new 6‑foot fencing; Mott’s was cited as an example of a fenced site that reduced late‑hour dumping. Commissioners also discussed gating, signage (“residential use only, not for commercial use”), and installing cameras to deter or identify commercial or out‑of‑county dumping.

Speakers raised safety and liability concerns tied to past incidents at compactor sites, including at least one prior injury when no staff were present. Commissioners discussed how staffing and monitoring would be handled if dumpsters were open every weekend: options included county employees working weekends, rotating staff schedules, or asking the sheriff’s office to assist with enforcement. Commissioners noted volunteers had helped in the past but that paid staffing would still be needed for truck roll‑off operations and site cleanup.

Commissioners also reviewed district customer counts when discussing equitable site placement: District 1 669 customers, District 2 288, District 3 7,988, District 4 8,288, and District 5 2,539 were cited during the session. Several commissioners said they had heard citizen preference for dumpsters over curbside bulk pickup during town halls, but they emphasized the need to prevent commercial use and illegal dumping.

Legal and rollout steps were flagged: staff said the county code contains a notice requirement for reducing door‑to‑door solid waste collection services; staff agreed to provide the relevant code and timing for any required public notice. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized they were only “exploring” reopening dumpster sites and would not open them that night; one commissioner said locations would be “to be determined” in the motion.

What happens next: staff were asked to return with a draft schedule of sites and staffing options, cost estimates for fencing and cameras, and the applicable code language on required notice. No formal vote or policy change was recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Commissioners set the matter for further staff research; any subsequent plan will require school coordination, site repair or fencing, and a decision on enforcement and monitoring before dumpsters are reopened.