On this episode, we talk to Landfill Superintendent Lee Thomas and Assistant Solid Waste Superintendent LaTravis Jones. They discuss upgrades and changes for their departments. Thanks for tuning in!
On this episode, we talk to Landfill Superintendent Lee Thomas and Assistant Solid Waste Superintendent LaTravis Jones. They discuss upgrades and changes for their departments. Thanks for tuning in!
Welcome to Thomasville Insights with the City of Thomasville. On the podcast, we'll talk to experts on everything from Thomasville history and events to daily operations and city business, all while having some fun in the process where you host a master games. And I'm sorry, Pearson. Welcome to Thomasville Insights with the City of Thomasville. I'm Tara Pearson Public Information Officer So, Austin, it's March. Are you a big March Madness fan? I am. I am not as into college basketball as I once was, but I do kind of pick up interest and this time of year, just to see all the craziness and buzzer beaters and all, all the fun. So it is a lot of fun, too, to watch basketball this time of year. It is. I was listening on the news this morning that there was a college that is actually thinking about joining the union. Yes. So that was really interesting this morning. So I'm intrigued to see where that goes. Yeah, that's a that's an Ivy League school that's trying to unite the basketball team, which is kind of funny to me because not too many pros come out of Ivy League. No offense to all the Harvard fans that we have out there, but not too many pros come from there. So that was an interesting move by I can't remember what Ivy League it was, but anyway. Right. But it was a really interesting move, especially at the beginning of March Madness. Yeah, we'll see how that turns out, how that plays out. But speaking of professionals, introduce the professionals for us today, Tara. I sure will. Today we have none other than Lee Thomas. Lee Thomas, He is our landfill superintendent. He's been with the organization for over 25 years. I can't even imagine if I've ever been in one place that long. So I know he is a professional in his field. And we also have LaTravis Jones, who's been with the team for four years now, and he's been putting in so much work. Lee, amateurism, actually, I heard you just purchased a new hotrod, a mustang. yeah. that. Well, my wife says the middle aged thing. I you know, you got a crisis that you need to. Well, you know, I told her we do get EPA vouchers with the city. So, I mean, if the if she's thinking that I'm leaning that way, I mean, she says it doesn't matter how hard I try that the color of jet black, but my hair never will be again. Just be glad you got it right. Exactly. So, yeah, yeah. I want to get one that, you know, I don't have a hot rod, but I have a tinker toy. I have a 1990 Dodge pickup truck that I like to work on and think around with myself and try to do as much as I can and do it. Okay. So, all right, we learned it. Work, play with our people. That's right. All right. Well, hey, got a lot of questions. You know, this is going to be our trashy episode. We're going to talk a lot of trash today, but the only thing I am good at. But, you know, there's a lot of always a lot of questions. You guys are one of the this department is one of those front facing departments that's vital if you guys don't do your job well. Everybody within the city of Thomasville government hears about it. And you guys do you guys do an awesome job. And so we're really glad to be talking about that. There's a lot of changes in our solid waste and landfill department. So what are what are some of the recent ordinances and things like that that are that are changing? And let's talk about those. We will go with you first and then with Travis, sir. Well, some of the ordinances that's changed downtown is not replacement minimal. Notice that we've downtown, we've put in a lot of vertical what we call vertebrate, which is a combined dumpster. A lot of your downtown mergers now are doing shared dumpsters to where it used to be open, six or eight yard dumpsters. Now you have an eight yard dumpster, which is the vertebrate that's dumped instead of, say, if you had a business that was being dumped on, say, three times a week. Now this dumpster is being shared with two neighbors and is being dumped every day. So that's one of the main key things. And you might have seen a lot of congestion coming out from downtown, which means there's not as many of the as the green brown dumpsters that you see in downtown. You might have seen not as many in a parking lot, but you see this bird then That was that was one of the key things is to try to to lessen the. Yeah. More parking congestion. Exactly. Yes. Yeah. Downtown Thomasville is especially this time of year getting close to our road show parade now this time of year, spring, Thomas feels a beautiful place and a lot of people started coming to visit. And so that really, really helped us there. Yeah. And also like, I mean, like Lee was saying, it did eliminate the, the having the green cans downtown, having to pull those cans out to the side. Well, it was kind of made a little dangerous when people were trying to pass by. I drivers don't have to walk all the way up in there to pull the cans out to the to the road anymore. Though we have like eight different locations that we have either a dumpster or a compact, like at least Alberta Park, which is shared by multiple, multiple people, multiple businesses downtown. Right. So with the not not only did we have some positive changes with our solid waste services downtown, we also have some expansion or there's been some expansion out of the landfill and different things going on out there. So tell us about those those new these out there. There has the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024 brought many changes to the to the to the landfill for any patches. Has been out there with us for for several years. You'll know as as needed we dig what is considered sales to place more waste in started in July of 2023 with our cell B expansion will give us more room for that. But not only that we had to install a gas will flare system which we already had in place since 2011. But instead of being a voluntary system, now it's a mandatory system, which means that it falls under federal regulations, which kind of gives you a little sense of knowing that it's not just a hole in the ground anymore, like it used to be very, very complicated. Very complicated and very, very much looked at. Yeah. Which means that we have to try to report in not to the federal government to say, hey, we're in compliance. We don't have any gas leaking off this hill. We don't have anything getting in the atmosphere that shouldn't be there, which is just another safety, a really for all for anyone that just thinks that it's a hole in the ground, you know? Not anymore. Not anymore. We've come a long way since then, and that's a lot of paperwork. You have to do this. An awful lot of paperwork. That's what I tell people all the time. We have one room dedicated in our scale, has a landfill that is dedicated to nothing but water wells, gas wells, and just piles on top of files from as far back as 1974, which is one landfill moved in to where it is now. So we've if it's happened at that landfill, it's on file and you can see has evolved over the years. So it's really become from a handful of things that we used to have to do til, you know, you've got I can't even count start to tell you how many reports that we have to turn into not only the state but the federal government now. Yeah. All right. Well, let's get back to solid waste. So again to our audience leaves is over the landfill and you got you all work together wiht LaTravis with the solid waste. Although you guys are, you know, in the same department kind of work together. And there's a lot of collaboration that you guys do. But the Travis for me, you know, I just want to be a good customer. Like, I don't want anybody in your staff to laugh at how dumb I am. If I put my garbage can out there wrong, which I almost did the other day, I don't tell anybody. I got a new garbage can and I got confused Almost put the handles face in the street, which would have been a disaster. Yes. And you would have been talking about me. But I recovered. But just just our for our residential customers. And tell us how to be a how to be a good customer, how to how to do what we need to do to to make sure you guys are efficient with most most we recommend to our customers that, you know, if there's going to be any problems, go out and put your can out the night before. That way because our trucks don't have a specific time that they come. They start from seven and it could be any time from seven to they've finished a route that they can come to your area because each driver may run one area a little bit different than the other driver. When you put a can out there to make sure that your cans for face into the roll and that it is close enough to the curb that the truck can actually reach, reach out and grab it so that the driver don't have to get out the truck and go put a can up to the truck. So we recommend that you do put it out close enough for the truck to get it. And and again, like I said, make sure it is facing towards the road handles facing towards our house. And the reason we do that, the trucks are designed to dump the can where the mouth opens to the front. That way some of the trucks will pull. They will tear the lid off. If you have it turn the opposite way and not set it next to a light pole. Yes. Mailbox mobile, right. Are it or your neighbors can? Yes, Yes. Yes. We can't pick up two. I wish we could. I mean, if we pick up tool one time we could shorten these routes up a little bit low. Can't pick up two at one time to get them sitting side by side. Absolutely. The truck can't get and we've seen that on more than one occasion. Yes. And seen more than one time that the driver trying to do what's right and they ain't got you can't even though as obviously close to your mailbox and up comes a can of goes to the top of your mailbox you know so you know any distance try to keep it you know isolated try not to and not block somebody other than somebody else's driveway. Yeah. And what about the yard trimmings? Yeah. There's some new ordinances about yard trimmings and which I you know, I heard about this earlier, but just in terms of we're basically going to take yard trimmings to a place to to essentially recycle them, they Albany's pretty neat. Lee, you want to start with that? Tell us about that. Well, in October of 2023, we went in partnership with Crowder excavating out of Tallahassee, Florida. They're well known in the in the dirt business for first construction and all they have opened up a place out at the O'clocknee River. What we consider out there close to and Butler Road what we consider the river river wood area to where all of our yard trimmings leaves, limbs, small brush, Big brook, all of that has been diverted from our landfill to that area there. And what they do with it there is once they get in at an abundant amount and I mean a large amount, they bring in these chippers, they chip it up and they actually sell it by the ton to a place in Albany right now it's called Albany Green Waste. And from there they use it as a beneficial fuel for places such as Proctor and Gamble, the military base in Albany. So it's very innovative on there in a very and we're just part of it to be able to add to that. Nothing's changed on the customers. And except for the fact that we do ask you not to make shitloads not to makes it if you've got some things to check our dresser drawer and you said well I'm I'm Ohad is on it and he'll pick it up before and he's not going to know it well he's going to see it. But then what you've done now is you've made it to where that load has to come to the landfill instead of having to go to the what we call the crowded pit to get risks that can't be recycled. Now it's got to be landfilled and all because, you know, you just didn't put it to the side. I mean, put it to the side. Don't mix it with your live paper, large amounts of paper and stuff like that. You know, keep it at home. Keep it at a minimum dry, keep your files clean, and we can recycle every bit of every bit of that. And what it does not only for our solid waste part because like I said, as far as on the on the customers and nothing's changed, which they still get the same excellent service that they've always received. It's just the direction that the trucks are going now and then weakened, divert that waste out of the landfill, which two times number one is going to support a whole lot of space to be saved at the landfill. It saves a lot of money, that is. And number two is going to save a whole lot of of construction cost because the slower rate of field we have of course, longer area last and that's what you want that's the key the animal is for the landfill that you currently have to last as absolute as long as you can possibly get it to. So it's going to help everybody else. Yes, it's really a win win situation, even for even for the residents of Vienna, because, number one, it keeps everything lower because the longer you can go without having to construct the sale, then, of course, you know, the better off you are. Yeah. So we try to urge our customers if is material stuff like paper stuff that small enough to fit in your cart and put it in your, your residential garbage can, stuff like dressers, what any bites, stuff like that. And I'll just do it separate pile and we have what we call a one time pick up that they can pay a certain amount to have the truck come by. They do most of the one time pickups on Fridays. There the truck will come by and pick up that pile just for that. Just for that purpose. That purpose. It won't be. No, no. Like you say, any greenery and no thing like yard trimming. No, no yard trimmings. And they're just the, just the other garbage that you have. So anything outside yard three means there can be a one time pickup. Yes. That a citizen could pay for. Yes. They can go Those dressers. Yes. Large items that you would pick up and take back to the land and go down to the solid waste office and talk to our ladies at the office. And they can set them up with that one time pickup. And all of these processes and the things that we want our citizens to help us with is located on our website. If they use the solid waste department section on Thomasville dot or so and with our process changes anything changing on the landfills and for our merchants, I believe there's an easier process for them. There is. For years, you know, as I said, everything was evolving at the landfill except the way we was able to accept payments for years and years. We had to find replacement. Three forms, actually. You either set up a landfill account, you pay with cash, which we really don't recommend, or you pay, what, a check, which we really don't recommend. So I guess finally they came along there and I had a guy that really customer. He's been coming in for years and he looked at them and he said, you know, I've been coming in here as long as you've been working here and it's been a long time. I said, Yes, sir. He said, You know, the other day our boss Girl Scout cookies from the little girl in town, I said, Yes. So, you know, I was able to use a debit card to buy Girl Scout cookies on the side. I said, Yes, sir. He said, You realize we still can't use a debit card at the landfill? I said, Yes, sir. He said, We ought to do something about that. So I'm proud to say, and not only am I proud to say, but the scale has ten. It is as well that he's answering that question, that we are in the process now of of getting it set up to where we can accept credit cards, debit cards at the landfill. Thank you. Girl Scouts. Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, and it's an inspiration and it gives a box of cookies to help the family get a, you know, and again, it drove in our head on that that we could they inspire me to be blown Yeah. Different ways that inspire me the job inspire me in different ways and I needed as you can tell, I don't do a whole lot of it now. I do a whole lot more thinking what I should be, even still to do it. So. So we're adding debit and credit card process. We are, which will make it much easier because a lot of times if you're a business owner of especially of construction, let's just use that as an example and you've got a load of waste going to the landfill. You give that the guy is going to landfill, $100 bill. Your bill only allows it being $20. We don't keep cash like that on hand at the landfill. So this is hard for, you know, But there again, we got to accept your cash payment. So I'm running back and forth to the bank continuously for hours. Gail, I'll trying to, you know, keep it going. And now, you know, you can just hand your your, your employee, your, your business debit card or whatever, and he's going to get a receipt. But I make to you and you just he's much easier process and because a lot of people on you know small business they don't want to set up an account which you know that's neither here nor there that's for their their choice. So All right. Well, let's let's go back to solid waste. And just again, as we you know, we love our customers. They do a great job. And a lot of them just want to know how to how to do best and how how to help us be efficient so we can keep our costs down and just benefits. Everybody keeps our community clean as well. And I know that solid waste has a lot of pride. And in the our just clean community, I'm one of the maybe one of the most difficult things is just communication, right? When it's a holiday. I mean, I mess this up sometimes because I get the wrong days, you know, like I'm always messing that up. I'm consistently wrong. It's uncanny. But you know what's the best way to stay up with you guys as as things change or if there's an issue, how do we hear best from from solid waste? We recommend that they then go to the see the Thomasville Facebook page. Most time they will. They will have it on that page. The Thomasville Dawg. So they do Thomasville website. They will they were posted on there and a lot of a lot of I guess the holiday magic get out by word of mouth you know most time they they can call our office and we we will tell them okay yes that's a good one What days. What days. What times are we going to run on and what days we're going to be off. But like I said, a lot of it does get out by word of mouth. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, Tara, you probably can answer to our Facebook page is probably has a lot of quick information or is that is that safe to say? Yeah, you're correct. Our Facebook page will have any and everything that solid waste is doing or needs to relay or communicate to the to our customers. Our holiday city services are usually sent out in a numerous of ways, not just on social media, but also through press releases. So we use our local media to help us get that word out as well. Because you guys serve is not just Thomasville. You you serve as surrounding counties. Yes. So we utilize WPA to help us get that word out. We utilize the Thomasville dot org website and that's where you'll find most of our up to date information. We also utilize our local scroll as well. Yes, if there's anything going on for solid waste services, but definitely the city of Thomasville social media Facebook page is where you're going to find accurate information up to date information. And we know Lee's on Facebook all the time. You know. Well, you know, no, not at work, obviously, but you with work, you're so in there all you know, my wife told me years ago the only reason that we still had all the kids was because they didn't stand still, because I would trade them all for good. So I say on the marketplace a little bit, you know, and the kids, fortunately, they've all grown enough now that they can run from it. Well, we we appreciate you guys. But before I wrap up, though, any last things y'all want to get out there? I mean, I know you have a lot going on. We can't cover it all, but did we do did we cover everything? No. One day I just do want to say I know we we we attribute a lot of our success to our drivers, you know? Yeah. We have a great we have a great team and our solid waste and landfill, you know, and we're one for one for our team. Though none of this would be possible. Wasn't making history. Yes. The first vehicle in the first premier for my organization. So yeah, yeah. You get a driver that's been there for 40 years. Yes, we are. 40 to 43 years. 43 years he's been there. I mean, we have a couple of drivers that 20 plus, you know, it attests to the leadership. Yes, exactly. And as Travis stated, I mean, you can't you really can't. You really can't. President ladies and gentlemen, to the within the solid waste and landfill department for the jobs that I do, that I guess as you know, as corny as it may sound, unsung heroes behind the behind the truck. Yeah, you see the truck. But if you look at the windshield, you'll see your face. Yes. If you're at the landfill, you see a machine running. But look beyond machine, you'll see a face, you'll see, you know, a you know, a husband or wife or a father who, you know, you'll see somebody that's making that happen. Yeah, that's that's that's keeping Thomasville, as it says. Beautiful. I mean, years ago, you know, there was a we've always had different things on on the side of our road, of our garbage trucks. And then, you know, and one of the biggest things is some years ago, I don't know how long ago was on the side of our car, which was had in our city of Thomas, where we were roses, rain, you know. Yeah. And it's true, you know, believe it or not, this is not just a job to to to the ladies and gentlemen. It's a believe it or not, it becomes a passion to say, look how good of a job we've done because so if you see them in public or if you see them out there and if you want to take a minute to to thank them for the service that they do, by all means it'll make their day approaches. Yeah, they really take pride in the way they do. Doing everything they do. They take pride and take lots of pride in what they do. Yeah, and quick story on that is just, you know, y'all's fearless leader Jimmy Smith Jr. You know, he wasn't looking for accolades or whatever. We were just in conversation and he was saying he saw something on the side of the road. Somebody had had dumped a couch on the side of the road. He wasn't, he wasn't working. But because he takes so much pride of how this community were, he just picked it up and put this truck in. Yes. And did that. And that's to me, What solid waste and landfill, you guys. Yeah. Yeah. I'll pick that leadership up and do a fantastic job. We really appreciate you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, guys, for joining us. By way of announcements, We're celebrating women in leadership all month long. So if you're not following our Facebook and Instagram social media pages, please follow so you can catch all of the great women from the city of Thomasville that we're highlighting. March 18th is natural gas utility worker appreciation. So we thank the city of Thomasville as natural Gas department. If you see them at work in blow your horns, but don't scare too much. Throw away that and appreciate them. And also March 18th is also sparked Sparky the dog's birthday. So we're going to celebrate that. Stay tuned for more. Thank you. Yeah. And Sparky the dog, he's the he's for the fire correct? Fire department. Yeah. Yeah. He draws a crowd whenever he's around. Absolutely. So March is a definitely a month of celebration. You know, maybe we should get us a mascot. That's right. You know, I like that idea that we're going to show it a dog in a truck suit? Man, a trash can suit? So we're going to have a yeah, we're going to end the podcast, but we'll have we got some ideas we're going to throw around for that one. But thank you guys for listening. I want to remind you guys to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening app. You've been listening to Thomasville Insights with the City of Thomasville. The show is produced by the City of Thomasville Marketing Department. The show's music is by Pond five dot com. To learn more about the City of Thomasville, visit Thomasville dot org or follow us on social media. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening app so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening.