Clarkston council warns green-waste program could be suspended after repeated misuse

Council members on Sept. 2 discussed recurring misuse of Clarkston's green-waste dumpster and cautioned the program could be discontinued if residents continue to deposit prohibited materials.

Extent of misuse: The mayor reported multiple incidents in the last month in which people placed prohibited items in the green-waste dumpster, including chopped railroad ties, construction debris and bagged yard waste that required manual removal. The mayor said private vendor Tilly (also referenced as Atelio/Tilio in the meeting) has separated unacceptable material at no extra charge to the town; the mayor said that arrangement is not fair to the vendor.

Cost comparisons and enforcement challenges: The mayor said placing cameras or pursuing civil or criminal enforcement would be costly and complex. He cited cost examples from the discussion: Tilly would charge about $100 to dispose of the contaminated load, while Waste Management's cost for similar disposal would be about $385 — demonstrating the town's prior cost avoidance.

Possible responses: Council members discussed options including stricter limits (bringing dumpsters only twice a year), putting more signage in place, instituting cameras if abuse continues, or ending the program. The mayor said he will monitor the dumpster for another month and report back; if misuse persists he will present recommendations to the council about discontinuing the service or switching to a different schedule.

Public comment: A resident, Luke Rochelle, told the council he opposed raising resident fees for the service and suggested saving funds for other amenities if abuse continues.