Vanderburgh solid waste board approves van and residential officer to restart work‑release litter cleanup

The Vanderburgh County Solid Waste Management District Board voted to fund the purchase of a van and a full‑time residential officer to run a county work‑release litter cleanup program.

The action, presented by Sheriff Noah Robinson, funds a transport van to move work‑release participants to litter pickup locations and a supervisory residential officer ‘‘to drive the van and keep track of statistics as well as scheduling,’’ Robinson said during the board meeting.

Board members approved the motion by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was provided in the transcript. The board chair declared the motion carried after members answered “aye.”

Why it matters: Robinson said the program would be a ‘‘force multiplier’’ for street cleanliness because a single full‑time supervisor could coordinate 15–16 work‑release participants. He said the program previously ran about 10 years ago and historically collected hundreds of bags per month even in colder months.

Details and timeline: Robinson estimated the board could order the van ‘‘today, or when the board approves’’ and have the program operational within about ‘‘60 to 70 days.’’ He said he would cover equipping the vehicle (lights, radios) from his department’s budget and asked the board to cover the initial vehicle purchase, which he described as ‘‘around 65 or 66’’ thousand dollars. The board noted about $64,000 remained in the county fund that could be used for several months of the new employee’s salary.

Budget and next steps: The district’s draft 2026 budget (distributed to board members) includes a line for the position under grants; the staff presenter indicated a budget figure of $90,500 for the position while the sheriff suggested the cost would be about $81,000. Board members agreed to move forward with the funding; the sheriff said he would have the county attorney prepare two grants: one for the van and one for the position.

Discussion highlights: Some board members questioned whether the role needed to be full time, noting prior part‑time assignments through the county garage sometimes produced limited hours in bad weather. Robinson and supporters argued coordination, scheduling and continuous oversight require a dedicated full‑time position and that historical program data show consistent monthly pickups (Robinson referenced prior monthly totals of about 700 bags in winter months and peaks near 900 in summer months).

What the vote does not specify: The transcript records the board’s voice approval but does not provide a numerical vote tally or identify the motion’s mover and seconder by full name.

The board also asked the sheriff to coordinate with the county highway department and noted that two part‑time county highway employees who had previously been funded by the department would no longer be funded once the program begins.