department might not be the most glamourous project that White oversees , its impact on the people of Whitley County is far reaching and changes not only the lives of its customers but also effects the tourism industry in the county .
“ I think it ’ s a win all the way around ,” White said . “ I think everybody wants a clean community . You don ’ t want your whole town junked up .”
When White began looking at ways to grow the sanitation department , there were around
50 identified unofficial “ dump sites ” around the county where garbage and household refuse were being deposited on the sides of mountains . The piles of trash were not only marring the scenic areas of the county with unsightly garbage but were also contributing to an environmental pollution problem that is facing the country as a whole . In an effort to stop the unauthorized dump sites and clean up these areas , White started the Dumpster Days program .
Dumpster Days is a project that offers free disposal of household goods to county residents . Each month the program moves the disposal containers to a different location so residents in all areas of the county have access to the proper receptacles .
The county ’ s sanitation department is growing rapidly with the number of customers this year being approximately 3,500 up from the 2,300 customers the previous year .
“ We like to shoot for a hundred new customers a month ,” White said , adding the department was cash flow positive for the first time in January of this year . “ It ’ s been a very successful service and I think it ’ s going to continue to grow and see the numbers rise .”
White said he is also happy to have added a transfer station where customers can dispose
2500
2000
MALE POPULATION IN HOUSEHOLDS IN WHITLEY COUNTY Demographics by age range
SOURCE : HTTPS :// SUBURBANSTATS . ORG
1500
1000
0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80 +
The Times-Tribune • Community Guide 2023 — Page 11