LISTEN: Richland County to hire environmental enforcement officer; Mansfield Schools presents MLK Day program

 

Richland County to employ environmental enforcement officer:
https://www.richlandsource.com/news/no-dumping-richland-county-to-employ-environmental-enforcement-officer/article_eeaa8588-74aa-11ec-b51e-efa80c035d8c.html

 

Mansfield City Schools MLK, Jr. Day Program:

 

The Richland County Solid Waste Management Authority board approved the hiring of an environmental officer last week, in the hopes that it would help cut down on illegal dumping throughout the county.

The roots of Mansfield’s current trash-hauling issues date back more than two decades when the public hauling option was eliminated. In April 1998, Mansfield City Council voted to abolish municipal trash service, dissolving what remained of its sanitation department, which was still serving 2,800 customers. The move required all city residents to use private haulers. But it also meant the city of Mansfield was out of the trash business for good.

Now, when it comes to trash regulation, residents say Mansfield feels a lot like the wild west – with no rules and no accountability. Private haulers determine their own daily routes, which means any number of trash trucks may be traveling through the same neighborhood on any day of the week. That means trash may be set out by the curb multiple days per week in that same neighborhood. And the regulatory ordinances that do exist are nearly impossible to enforce, because there are no zoned trash pickup areas in the city. 

Needless to say, something needed to change. Mansfield residents were voicing their complaints, and they were doing it loudly. Thankfully, the county listened. The solid waste management authority developed a five-year, 210 page plan, which was approved in 2020. Appointing an environmental enforcement officer is just one small piece of it.

 

The deputy will serve as part of  the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, and the waste management authority will work with Sheriff Steve Sheldon to assign a deputy to the position. Richland’s environmental enforcement officer will be allowed to work anywhere in the county, including Mansfield. The deputy’s duties will include investigating illegal litter dumping activity and identification of unlicensed trash haulers in the county. They’ll be officially introduced at the Earth Stewardship kickoff.

 

Next, some local history. Today we celebrate MLK day, and remember the legacy of Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. Did you know that Dr. King actually visited Mansfield on two separate occasions? His uncle, Reverend Joel King served at Mansfield’s Mount Herman Baptist church. The first time he paid the city a visit was in September 1962, at the dedication of the church’s new building.

King advocated for nonviolent protest as a means to fight the injustices he saw being committed against the Black community, and bring an end to segregation in America. He also wanted to see institutions like the church step up to bring about that end–once claiming that 11 o’clock on Sunday was the most segregated hour in America.

 

At the dedication of Mount Herman’s new building, Martin Luther King gave a speech, in which challenged the 2,000 people gathered to step up, claiming that “the role of the church is to stand up to meet the challenge of change.” King would visit Mansfield once more in 1965.

 

Though originally planned to be an in-person breakfast, Mansfield has decided to move the MLK day celebration online. The program will be recorded and live-streamed on the district’s YouTube Channel and a link will be available on the district’s Facebook page. Links to Mansfield’s Facebook and Youtube Channel will be in the show notes.

 

Live streaming will begin at 9 a.m.

Wilbur Edwin Hamett

 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Wilbur Edwin Hammett of Mansfield.

 

Wilbur was born in Mansfield. He was the president of Hammett Asphalt Paving Inc; a business owned and operated by his family since 1945.

He was not afraid of a hard day’s work. Wilbur attended Main Street United Methodist throughout his life, and recently was attending Trinity United Methodist Church. A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Wilbur enjoyed time spent with his grandchildren. He also enjoyed working in his yard.

Wilbur is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Donna, his sons, his grandchildren, step grandchildren, his great-grandchildren, his sister, and sister-in-law.

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Wilbur’s life.