Some downtown Easley business owners are looking to the city government for an answer to a trashy problem.
“I’ve been here for 37 years and I have been taking care of my own trash for over five years,” said owner of the Rainbow Billiards, Ray Welch. “To my knowledge, I have seen no reduction in taxes in spite of a reduction in services.”
City officials maintain that they are exploring all avenues of solution.
“We are doing the best we can. We understand there has been an issue with lack of dumpster space, and we are looking at that,” said Easley City Administrator, Fox Simons.
At one time, a trash collection site was located behind city hall, but the merchants now have to take their own trash to the county landfill.
“It is a hassle, having to haul off your own trash. We now have to drive to the county dump. We’ve considered unifying with other downtown businesses on a dumpster for Market Square,” said owner of Downtown Dimensions, Barbara Barnett.
Downtown Business owners worry that the lack of clean-up may deter potential customers.
“The city said because of the restaurants they were no longer going to pick up trash in downtown, but we had the dump behind city hall, now that has been removed. It has created an undue burden for those of us who pay the most taxes,” said owner of Mountain View Antiques, Trisha Watson. “In addition, they do not clean the streets or sidewalks, and our customers have to walk through the mud and water to get into our stores.”
The city is intent on providing a solution to the trash pick-up issue in downtown Easley but does not want get involved with commercial haulers.
“We are looking at it, but we really do not want to get back into the commercial hauling business. It is fraught with problems, issues, and cost. The City of Easley is looking into solving the trash pick-up problems for downtown businesses and to provide them spaces for dumpsters that will be picked up commercially,” said Simons. “We do not have the equipment or the manpower to do commercial hauling, and if they want their taxes to remain low that is the way it has got to be.”
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