Residents press county on six-week bulk-waste delays; commission approves enforcement of long-standing policy

Several Hamblen County residents told commissioners that bulk-waste pickup has lagged as long as six weeks in places such as 7 Oaks and West Point, leaving furniture, construction debris and standing water at the road.

Linda Shaloop and Gwendolyn Holden described visible debris and said delays had allowed debris to accumulate and attract pests. Leo Shaloop, another resident, said his culvert and yard have suffered damage and that residents receive inconsistent responses when they report problems. "We need to know how this game is played," he told the bulk-waste study committee, arguing the county failed to communicate the rules and suggested one-time outreach (stickers on cans or mailed notices) to ensure residents understand the collection rules.

County Highway Director Mike Richardson said the bulk-waste policy has been in place for over 20 years and explained the pickup rotation: automated side-loader routes cover the east end and west end on a roughly four-week cycle; that schedule creates six-week apparent delays when residents place bulk items just after a pickup. He also said storm recovery (FEMA work) had diverted crews and delayed routine pickups and described the department—s tagging and photo-record process for noncompliant piles.

Commissioner Green and others asked for more proactive outreach to older residents who do not use social media. Commissioners discussed mailing, radio and stickers as options. The committee approved updating and enforcing the bulk-waste policy and asked staff to pursue better communication strategies.

Next steps: County highway staff will roll out enforcement of the updated policy and explore a one-time information campaign (stickers or mailed notices) to clarify pickup rules and reduce confusion.