Commissioners debate enforcement, volunteer efforts and rewards to tackle roadside litter

Commissioner Jake Callihan opened a substantial conversation Feb. 24 about persistent roadside litter in Delaware County, asking how to reduce occurrences and whether increased enforcement or community programs could help.

Callihan said he had asked CARDS trash service to keep tarps tight on loads and raised the idea of concentrated law enforcement patrols to write tickets. Josh Bynum read the statute cited for littering penalties and told the board fines may be up to $1,000 combined with community service. Sheriff Ray Thomas explained practical constraints for prosecution, saying law enforcement generally needs to observe trash blow out or obtain a license plate to issue a ticket and noting that the offense is a misdemeanor. Commissioner David Beck said that in past efforts his son, who worked enforcement, wrote tickets that were later thrown out by the courts, and he urged getting judges and the district attorney on board before pursuing mass enforcement.

Speakers discussed alternatives: Jack Wood and others warned against encouraging citizens to physically intervene; Park Ranger Dusty Wood suggested residents photograph license plates and forward images to rangers as proof; David Morris recommended contracting road‑cleanup crews as some neighboring counties do; Jed Decker said he had photographs of many unsecure loads. Callihan said he would support establishing a 50/50 reward fund to share proceeds from fines with citizen informants but emphasized prevention (secure loads, public education) as the priority.

No formal motion to change enforcement policy was made at the meeting; the discussion identified next steps including outreach to judges and the district attorney, coordination with the sheriff’s office on evidence and reporting procedures, and exploring a fund structure for citizen turn‑ins.