When it comes to recycling, Davidson County and Williamson County have very different points of view.
Williamson County allows only Williamson County residents to recycle at the 13 satellite drop off facilities situated around the county.
Davidson County doesn’t care where you come from, as long as you recycle.
We’re not talking household waste, or garbage. We are talking recyclable materials like glass and plastic and newspapers.
The difference in philosophy across a county line is the focus of tonight’s that is messed up.
The issue was brought to our attention by a 20 year old U.T. student named Armond Agassi. The Agassi family lives in Davidson County, about 2 miles from the Brentwood city limit.
A few days before Christmas, Agassi’s mother asks her son to take the recyclables to the recycling drop off site.
The Agassi’s have always used the facility on Wilson Pike in Williamson County. But on this day, he says he is met by a man who tells him he cannot recycle there.
“He says you don’t live in Williamson County and you don’t pay property tax and so you cannot recycle. I am just trying to recycle, and do something good, instead of throwing it in the garbage.”
Agassi is frustrated by the rule, especially since he says almost everything he is recycling was purchased in Williamson County.
“So we buy most of our grocery’s and goods in Williamson so why can’t we recycle in Williamson county?,” Agassi asks. “We should be able to recycle in Williamson county or where ever it is easiest cause if you take the initiative to recycle you should not be penalized for it,” the young business student exclaims.
We go to the recycling center which is bustling with activity. Glass here, cardboard there. It’s good to see so many people being “green.”
I personally notate several out-of-county plates in the parking lot, but no one is being turned away.
One man from Hamilton County openly points out his out of county status as he carries several loads of recyclables to the bin.
I go to the sign at the entry way and there is absolutely no doubt what the rule is:
WILLIAMSON COUNTY RECYCLING DROP OFF SITE
WILLIAMSON COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY.
NO OUT OF COUNTY USE
I encounter Paul Webb who is recycling. He tells me he has lived in Brentwood for 24 yeard
“We believe in it and it is easy, the county put this out for us to use and the recycling program benefits the schools. They contribute back to the school.”
I tell Webb about Agassi’s situation. Webb has this to say.
“If everyone came down from Davidson County and started recycling it might be crazy. And you run the risk, of over burdening this facility. That is the ying and the yang of it all. We all must understand he lives in another political entity, and there is an invisible line there.”
For perspective we go to a drop off center in Davidson County. The facility is also bustling. While most of the license tags are from Davidson County I notice one from the Memphis area.
I see a lot of signs on what can and cannot be recycled here, but there are no signs that mandate Davidson County residency only.
Public Works PIO Gwen Hopkins tells me:
Davidson County has 3 convenience centers: this is a place where you can drop off household trash. Household garbage. Furniture. Appliances etc.. You have to be a Davidson County resident to leave non recyclables at these convenience Centers. You will be asked for proof of residency.
But when it comes to recycling. We have relaxed our recycling restrictions.
The reason: recycling generates revenue for us. We actually get paid for the recycling.
There is no way to police it. It is not staffed. We don’t care who drops off here. We want people to recycle. We want trash kept out of the landfill.
Our idea is: Don’t mess with mother nature. We are trying to change the mind set of people.
Think green. We want to make it easy and convenient so it is not a hassle.
If it is not convenient people won’t recycle.
Lewis Bumpus is the Solid Waste Director for Williamson County. Bumpus tells me:
Williamson County WILL accept out of county recyclables but only at one facility, in Franklin at 420 Century Court. The facility is called the Material Recovery Facility and it accepts all manner of recyclables from surrounding counties. Bumpus says if you bring materials that have value they will pay you for bringing these items to the facility. Those items include: paper, Newspaper, Aluminium cans, tin cans, office paper, newspapers, magazines, plastics.
Bumpus reiterates that out of county residents cannot drop off recyclables at any of the county’s satellite drop off sites like the one on Wilson Pike.
Bumpus adds: To help save trips and reduce congestion Williamson County offers 13 drop off sites. The tax payer pays for this.
To run that center on Wilson Pike costs several thousand dollars a year. Last year, just cardboard and plastic alone; we took 471 loads from that Wilson Pike facility. Each load goes to the recycling center.
Bumpus adds:
Williamson County has great schools. They can’t send their kids to our schools. Go to Montgomery or Cheatham, it also says do not accept out of county waste.
I ask if it is patrolled. Bumpus says:
If we catch anyone, we explain to them to carry it to the material recycling center.
I tell Bumpus about the Agassi family that purchased most of its groceries in Williamson County. Bumpus says:
The recycling sites are paid for by property tax, not sales tax. For Example: if you own land in Williamson, let’s say 15,000 acres, but you live in Davidson County, you can’t use the center on Wilson Pike. You have to be a resident in Williamson where you pay property taxes.
When the materials are picked up and then sold to the recycling center, the money generated goes to Williamson schools for environmental programs. Williamson county schools benefit.
Finally, we talk to Williamson County Resident, tim Steed who doesn’t like Williamson county’s policy:
“That is a shame. It is about mother Earth. We all share this Earth, as middle Tennesseans, Williamson county and Davidson county, there should not be a divide there. It’s about recycling.
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The holidays bring back sad memories for Diana McKinney.
January 9th 2008, her 3 month old son died of what she tells me was classified as crib death.
The New Year has brought sorrow for the 24 year old. Recently the young mother lost her job. She’s about to lose her apartment. But she has not lost her will to fight.
The young mom is in the process of obtaining a criminal trespassing warrant against the Antioch apartment complex where she is being evicted.
McKinney does not contest the eviction, but she does object to the way things have transpired.
She was issued a detainer warrant in late November which cited her into court. She went to court on the 15th of December. The judge gave her the standard 10 days to vacate, which would have been Christmas.
But According to officials at the Davidson County Sheriff’s office, McKinney wouldn’t have technically had to move out till early January when she was officially issued what is known as a Writ of Restitution.
That sets the stage for this messed up story. Though she was being evicted, technically the apartment is her home till she is officially evicted. That would not happen till early January. But according to McKinney, and a police report obtained by Messed UP, on December 22nd, someone entered her apartment and moved all her things out.
Priceless photos of her deceased child were thrown away. Expensive medicines and medical equipment needed by her sick nephew, allegedly tossed in the trash. Her couch and clothes and personal belongings all removed and thrown into the trash with the care you would toss a soiled paper towel.
Lawyers for the apartment complex deny the allegation.
McKinney says her neighbors saw apartment personnel in the apartment.
If McKinney didn’t remove her own items, and she didn’t give anyone else permission to enter her apartment, then whoever threw away her stuff did so prematurely.
McKinney questioned the staff at the apartment complex. She says they denied entering her apartment. But McKinney says her neighbor is willing to sign a statement that they saw a maintenance man and a cleaning woman who work for the complex in the apartment on the day in question.
McKinney called the police who did respond and filed a report. The officer suggested that McKinney file her own charges which she is in the process of doing.
Messed Up calls the lawyer who represents the apartment complex. The lawyer tells me:
“Our records say she voluntarily vacated the premises on December 18th.”
McKinney says she told the apartment managers she hoped to be out before Christmas, and when she went back to the apartment the locks had been changed and her items removed.
The attorney for the apartment complex tells Messed Up; his client categorically denies going into the tenant’s apartment and removing anything.
The attorney also questions who else beside McKinney had keys to the apartment.
McKinney said the only keys belonged to her and her sister.
McKinney has since moved in with her cousin in a small house. She tells messed up she also has a job working security, ironically at the very apartment complex that evicted her.
She says she is fighting this case because she feels she was wronged. She says items belonging to her infant son are gone that she can never get back.
“My son passed away, and his pictures and clothing and everything were in the apartment. Sorry.” McKinney wipes a tear from her eye and fights back tears. She is standing in front of the Christmas tree in the tiny apartment she is sharing with her sister and a number of young children
“It is my son. I have one picture and that is the only thing I can remember him by. My son passed almost 2 years ago next month.”
“What would you say to whomever threw your items in the trash?” I ask.
“They are heartless,” she says. “Baby’s stuff he needs. The baby has been through enough and now has nothing, they are heartless people.”
As of 1/4/10 McKinney says she is still actively attempting to file trespassing charges. She says the court is requiring her to submit names of witnesses and apartment management.
AS of 1/4/10 the lawyer for the apartment complex tells Messed Up he is also investigating the allegations raised by Ms. McKinney. The lawyer says he would like the names of the witnesses so he too can interview them.
We’ll keep you posted.
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