Cannon County Executive Mike Gannon presented a Solid Waste Department Report to the Cannon County Commissioners during their monthly meeting this past Saturday. Commissioner Adam Melton suggested that Executive Gannon put together a report with the status of the Solid Waste Department several meetings ago and the groundwork was laid for the report at that suggestion and following several unfounded rumor like posts on social media outlets. Gannon met with the County Attorney Mike Corley and the County Technical Advisory Service to get their input. Two major points of the report showed that according to the County attorney and CTAS, County citizens cannot be denied service at the Solid Waste Department for not having a County wheel tax sticker. The Solid Waste Department includes the County Convenience Center located in Woodbury.
Any out of county business doing business in Cannon County is not required to purchase a business license if they have a business license from another county. The only exception to this rule is businesses are only required to purchase a Cannon County business license if they do $50,000 or more of business in Cannon County.
The only penalty for not purchasing a wheel tax sticker is a ticket given by law enforcement. The County Executive’s office, Solid Waste Department or any other County Department outside of the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department can not in anyway issue a ticket for not having a wheel tax sticker.
A survey was conducted at the convenience center during various hours and various days. Important points of the survey included that many residents have out of county stickers on their vehicles but they buy tags and wheel stickers in Cannon County.
Almost all of the citizens involved in the survey had a Cannon County Wheel Sticker.
The survey was conducted on three different days and three different time periods. 348 total visitors to the convenience center were surveyed. Out of those 348, 23 vehicles had out of county tags or wheel stickers. Those 23 were surveyed to find out why they were dumping their garbage at the convenience center. 8 of those had proof of residence in Cannon County and had moved within the past year. 1 was a person who owns a business in Cannon County, 8 were county residents who lived on the border of Cannon and Warren County. 4 people were residents using a borrowed truck to haul garbage and 2 owned farms in Cannon County.
Only one person in the survey of the 23 had no excuse as he admitted he lives outside of Cannon County and was just passing through.
Summary of the Study included that 67 percent of the Solid Waste Department is privatized. Solid Waste Department is the only county service that every Cannon County citizen utilizes.
Cannon County recycled more different items than some larger counties. The Department is now in the process of adding other items for recycling.
In the county comparisons, Cannon County’s cost of solid waste is $36.81 which is below average of the total cost of the other 9 counties included in the survey.
