Walker County announces secured-load enforcement, litter task force activity and approves hydroseeder purchase for landfill work

Payne Gilly, director of Solid Waste and Environmental Management, told the Board on April 3 that Walker County will begin enforcing secured-load ordinances at the county landfill starting May 1, 2025, after a month of warning notices during April.

Gilly read a notice the county will provide to landfill customers: "Please be advised that both the state of Georgia and Walker County have a secured load ordinance in effect. Please see OCGA 40-6-254, OCGA 40-6-248.1, and county Section 29.509. All loads transported to this landfill must be properly secured to prevent litter and debris from falling onto the roadways. Failure to comply may result in fines or penalties as authorized by OCGA 16-7-43. Walker County will be providing warnings to anyone not in compliance with these regulations during the month of April. Starting 05/01/2025, Walker County will be enforcing the secured load ordinance and issuing citations to anyone not in compliance." The director said signs were already posted at landfill access points and that the county had coordinated with codes and road department staff.

Gilly also reported the county's first litter task force meeting on March 17 and said volunteers collected about 1.33 tons (1,330 pounds) of litter in a recent organized clean-up near the landfill. Operation Outreach and multiple county agencies and volunteers were credited for the effort.

On equipment, commissioners approved a purchase order to acquire a 2024-model hydroseeder to support slope stabilization and EPD-required grassing at the landfill. Gilly told the board the county had examined contractor bids for the slope-grassing work and saw wide variance—bids ranged from roughly $30,000 to more than $189,000 depending on scope—and that renting a machine had proven impractical because hydroseeders were scarce and heavily used by contractors. "These hydro seeders are not something you can go down to the local rental store and pick up," he said, and described repeated rental delays and reliability problems with units he had been able to find.

Gilly said the hydroseeder will also be available for other county projects (stormwater, ditches, industrial sites) and will help the county apply soil mixes, seed, fertilizer and tackifiers efficiently on steep landfill slopes. Commissioners discussed timing and ordered the county to use the machine to meet upcoming EPD inspection and remediation deadlines. The board voted unanimous approval for the purchase as presented.

Separately, Gilly noted ongoing landfill intake statistics and operational pressures but pointed commissioners to the new spay/neuter voucher program and other community efforts to reduce animal surrenders (discussed in a separate agenda item).