Residents Complain of Landfill in Residential Area
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In Martin, several homeowners say they’re fed up with a dump site that was set up right in the middle of their neighborhood; and they want the mayor to make a change. It started off with two, say community members, and is now up to six huge dumpsters, placed on an open lot in their neighborhood, just a few months ago. City officials say the dumpsters are there to hold brush and leaves only. No garbage is supposed to go in them, so they don’t’ know what the problem is, but residents say that is not the case. “Well first of all they are a health hazard, they contain things that we see small animals come from, we see garbage bags, I’m a private duty nurse, so I know what’s in those garbage bags,” says Belinda Lawson. City Mayor Randy Brundige says there’s usually nothing left in them at night, they are supposed to be empty containers. A transfer station, from one truck to another, unless they have a busy day. Neighbors say they must always have a busy day. Residents continue to say that people drive by at night and throw their trash in there. They know it happens, and it’s not just trees and leaves in there all the time. “We did first have them stationed at our landfill, but it took so long to move back and forth and we had so much brush in the ground, we relocated them to that vacant lot,” says Mayor Brundige. Community members say they were never contacted about the receptables being left there, but assuming it would be temporary, until gravel was laid down. Members say their biggest concern is the children. The lot was used for them to play on, until that was taken away from them. “Move them, put them in an area that’s not populated, we have many areas in Martin, not in the middle of Martin,” say Homer Chandler. Mayor Brundige says there are things in the works right now, this is all temporary, and if things go as planned this will all be eliminated.
