The City of Ducktown will be able to dump its garbage at the Grassy Creek Convenience Center without an interlocal agreement with Polk County for now.
Polk County Executive Robby Hatcher said last Wednesday that Chancellor Jerri Bryant had granted Ducktown’s request for a temporary injunction stopping Polk County from barring the city’s dumping.
However, Hatcher said the order also required Ducktown to pay the monthly charge of $340 as outlined in the agreement until the case is settled.
Hatcher said he had instructed county employees at Grassy Creek to return to business as usual with Ducktown.
He did explain, just as in the past, there are times when truckloads of garbage have to be turned away because there is not enough room in the compactor and precrusher to handle their loads and still service individual citizens.
The court order granting the temporary injunction had not yet been filed by Wednesday of last week. A spokesperson for the chancellor’s office said the attorney in the case assigned to prepare the order had not yet provided it to the chancellor.
Bryant heard arguments from Jimmy Logan, representing the county, and Keith Grant, representing the city, during a zoom hearing Monday, May 9. At that time, she promised to issue her ruling by 9 a.m. the next morning. A final decision on the lawsuit is expected by June 9.
Ducktown filed the lawsuit against the county after county commissioners voted to ban the city from dumping its garbage until the interlocal agreement was signed.
During a meeting at the Copper Basin Community Center Thursday, April 15, Ducktown Mayor Doug Collins said the city did not have a problem with paying the monthly fee, but opposed a clause allowing the county to terminate the contract.
Polk County Commissioner Greg Brooks stressed at that meeting that Ducktown residents could dump their garbage at the convenience center, only city trucks were prohibited from using the facility.
Tuesday, May 4, city trucks took Ducktown’s garbage to the Fannin County Transfer Station in Lakewood where they paid $87.62 to dump their loads, according to receipts provided by the city.