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Spalding County plans to cut five waste centers to two; residents warn of increased dumping
Summary
As part of budget reductions and cash-flow measures the county proposed consolidating five solid-waste collection centers to two and adding monthly bulky-item days; residents and commissioners questioned travel burdens and road impacts.
Spalding County staff recommended moving from five solid-waste collection centers to two operations as part of the fiscal 2026 budget package, citing cash-flow pressures tied to new state-mandated costs.
County Manager Dr. Lehi Ledbetter told commissioners, “We are making a recommendation that, we move from 5 centers to 2 centers for our community. This is, again, a cash flow issue.” The change featured prominently in public comments and commissioner discussion.
Why it matters: Many residents said the consolidation would impose a travel burden on older and low-income households and predict a rise in illegal dumping. Jewel Walker Harps, speaking for the local NAACP, said keeping “the garbage collection station intact” helps preserve residents’ quality of life. Patsy Pledger and others said East-side neighborhoods would be especially affected because they already lack nearby services.
Staff and board members provided cost context in the meeting. A county official said keeping two centers open will cost about $1.3 million annually; maintaining all five would cost roughly $2.8 million. Commission discussion repeatedly framed the proposal as a short-term cash-flow measure connected to other budget priorities, including partially funding a new state court judge and increases in sheriff staffing.
To mitigate impacts, county staff announced a pilot schedule of bulky-item collection days. Deputy County Manager Erica Dye and staff said bulky-day pickups will begin in May and continue through June at the Carver Road and Woodruff collection centers; residents will be allowed one pickup-truck or one 4-by-8 trailer load per household on those days. Dye asked residents to watch county social media and local notices for detailed dates and rules.
Residents and some commissioners asked staff to explore alternatives such as expanding hours at the two centers, creating a rotating schedule so other centers open one day a week, or adding staffed “bulky” days in additional locations. Commissioner Ryan Bolden and others urged the county to pursue options that increase total available collection hours rather than simply reduce sites.
The decision to consolidate the centers was included in the adopted fiscal 2026 budget package. Staff said the county will revisit operations if revenues permit or if the board directs a change; commissioners asked staff for further analysis of costs, potential road impacts and enforcement strategies to deter illegal dumping.
Ending note: County staff framed the move as a temporary cash-flow response to new demands on the budget, and committed to exploring adjustments and public outreach to ease the transition for affected residents.
