Tri-County Recycling Receives Deed to Center Property


Waste Connections Regional Manager Kendrick Ketchum (left) presents the deed to Tri-County Recycling to Sharp County Judge Gene Moore and Izard County Judge Eric Smith at a recent meeting. Not pictured is Fulton County Judge Darrell Zimmer.
 

            Since the Tri-County Recycling Center at Cherokee Village began operating in 1998, it has been operating on borrowed time.  The twenty-five year lease time on the property, which sits within the grounds of the Cherokee Landfill, has been slowly moving closer to the end of the lease term.  Additionally, not having actual ownership of the property made the center ineligible for facility improvement grants.

            At the March 23rd quarterly meeting of the White River Regional Solid Waste Management District Board of Directors, Tri-County Recycling’s property ownership status changed for the good.  After four years of efforts which encompassed three different landfill owners, Kendrick Ketchum, regional manager for new owner Waste Connections, Inc., presented Tri-County Recycling officials with a warranty deed transferring property ownership to Tri-County Recycling in care of Fulton County, who supports the center jointly with Izard and Sharp Counties and their municipalities. 

            Ketchum, who became affiliated with the landfill owners after their efforts to obtain the property had begun, understood and supported Tri-County’s need for ownership.  As a result, he took Tri-County’s request to Waste Connections’ corporate leadership and was eventually able to win over their support as well. 

            Ketchum presented the property deed to Sharp County Judge Gene More and Izard County Judge Eric Smith on behalf of Tri-County.  Fulton County Judge Darrell Zimmer played a key role in the property ownership transfer but was unable to attend the March 23rd meeting. 

            Since its beginning nineteen years ago, Tri-County recycling has been through good times and bad.  New Tri-County Manager Brian Watson has made several improvements in the center and its operations, and its household and business recycling is growing once again.  Plans are in place already to increase the center’s storage capacity and make it a more visitor friendly drop-off center this year.

                       Tri-County recycling is located at 500 Landfill Road (off Hwy. 289) just west of the Cherokee Village city limits. The center accepts the following items on a year round basis:  cardboard, all clean and dry paper, plastic bottles, aluminum and tin cans, and electronic waste.  A small handling fee may be charged for old tube TVs and monitors.   Operating hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  For more information, call 870-994-3020.