Allison Ericson, Valdosta Today News Director:
VALDOSTA — Deep South Sanitation, a local company, awaits final decision from Lowndes County officials after a Georgia Supreme Court ruling. Lowndes County was granted permission to close down Deep South Sanitation from operating and providing curbside service to residents in violation of a local ordinance.
“I was already in business and they basically told me to go away. I live here, my children go to school here, and it’s disheartening that this had to happen,” Cary Scarborough, owner of Deep South Sanitation said. “I didn’t want to fight the county, I wanted to be a partner not an enemy.”
In 2012 the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners authorized an ordinance that prohibits the collection of solid waste without a franchise or temporary permit. Advanced Disposal Services, another local sanitation company, was granted an exclusive franchise for its services in the following year. Deep South Sanitation continued to operate without a franchise or permit and on April 24,2013 was sued by Lowndes County.
Bill Slaughter, Lowndes County Chairman said, “From the county standpoint we are going to look at the ordinance itself. We are going to also look at and have some discussions with Advanced Disposal as far as what the options are for the county and where we can move forward.”
Deep South Sanitation will continue to operate as normal and service the company’s 1,500 customers until the county’s decision is made.
Scarborough said, “I greatly enjoy the community’s support, it is hard enough running a small business and then now for this to happen.”
The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners’ decision on the operations of Deep South Sanitation will depend on if the company chooses to appeal, as well as if the board is forced to follow the ordinance and exclusive franchise agreement with Advanced Disposal.
“There are just over 12,000 residential address points in unincorporated Lowndes County. All 12,000 include what the commission has to make a decision on. I think right now we are hearing a lot from the 1,500 but this is the decision they have got to make for 12,000 address points,” Paige Dukes, Lowndes County Clerk said.
“There is another caveat to this, but I’m going to say at this point we’re not going to move on Deep South Sanitation unless we are forced to by the current contract and franchise agreement that we have with Advanced Disposal,” Slaughter said. “At the end of the day it’s what is best for the citizens of Lowndes County and how the commission can best serve them.”
