Watson Township Board members plan to buy a security camera for the recycling site next to the Township Hall, regardless of whether or not a grant application is approved.
Too many people apparently have been abusing the receptacles in the parking lot by dumping garbage and household waste, even couches and mattresses. Though it’s been an ongoing problem, the site was overflowing with unwanted items just after the most recent holiday season.
Board member Michelle Harris said, “It was horrendous. There was stuff all over ground.”
Supervisor Kevin Travis said Clerk Kelli Morris went through some of the debris and was able to learn some of it came from.
“Some of it was from people who don’t even live in the township,” Travis noted.
Treasurer Sue Jones exclaimed, “I have never see it (the mess) that bad.”
The supervisor was asked about notifying authorities, but he replied, “When you call the police, they usually don’t do anything about it… so the question is how much do we want to baby-sit this (problem).”
While discussing options to deal with the situation, Jones suggested increasing the number of pickups per month from two to three.
“But we still have things like mattresses and couches (at the site),” Travis said.
Jones noted the township last year applied for a state grant to buy the security cameras and suggested the board go ahead with the purchase regardless of approval or rejection. She said it would cost under $5,000 and could be included in the next fiscal year’s budget.
The board also is seriously considering having a warning sign installed in between the receptacles.
Board members agreed the best solution is to develop a curbside recycling program for the township, but Trustee Chuck Andrysiak said Watson’s population of households is too small to qualify.
Travis said he wants to have a conversation with Allegan County Resource and Recovery Coordinator Ben Williams to see if there is way for Watson to offer curbside recycling, perhaps with a township millage request.
Under current conditions the township takes more than $9,000 out of its general fund budget to pay for the drop-off site in the township hall parking lot. The site is emptied every two weeks, but often it’s overflowing, and some residents do not observe the rules and dump trash, tires and even couches and televisions on site or in a nearby ditch.
Williams told the Township Board it could vote to join the county program, have the $25 per household per year surcharge, for which residents are allowed to opt out, and received the services of the Salem Township transfer station that is open two days a month to accept as many as four tires, scrap metal, polystyrene and two large appliances.
The county recycling service also conducts a hazardous household waste day for residents to drop off aerosol cans, paint and other waste items, and it costs the county about $13,500.
But for now, it appears the township is getting serious about installing a security camera to reduce the violations of dumping garbage, televisions, couches and mattresses.
People are hogs and have no concern for anything but themselves. Are we ever going to grow as a society? Probably not. We seem to be getting worse when it come to trash, littering etc. Install cameras and fine them the same as a littering ticket. Come on Watson Twp., what are you thinking?