Roadside litter debate continues in Hamilton County

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) –  Last week, Hamilton county commissioners asked why the county doesn’t have people picking up roadside litter.

At this morning’s meeting, two sessions court judges appeared.

Judge Christie Sells told the commission that only people who are not in custody can be assigned that job, and that local litter pickup efforts “were reduced drastically” when the Legislature dropped a requirement of 24 hours of community service.

Chris Jackson, the director of corrections explained that because of that rule and the covid pandemic, the road cleanup program has changed.

“We’re averaging about 5 to 10 people per day..whereas we used to average 35 to 50 people per day. But, that being said we have picked up 130 tons of trash and litter on county roads so far this year.”

Jackson says the city contributes 5-thousand dollars a year toward litter cleanup.

The district attorney’s office received an email last week from Commission chair Sabrina Smedley requesting information on the program.

A spokesman for D-A Neal Pinkston says prosecutors can only request community service,  not order it.