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Community Briefs 7/8/21

Clay Today
Posted 7/7/21

Clay County working to improve yard waste collectionsGREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County officials have been continuously seeking solutions to the delays in yard waste collection in the …

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Community Briefs 7/8/21


Posted

Clay County working to
improve yard waste collections

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County officials have been continuously seeking solutions to the delays in yard waste collection in the unincorporated areas of the county. An agreement with the City of Green Cove Springs is in place allowing the county to use their waste collection trucks and drivers on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, the Environmental Services Department has successfully negotiated an arrangement with Gainesville-based Gaston’s Tree Service, a subcontractor for storm debris cleanup all over the state, to provide additional yard waste collection trucks to Clay County.
On Monday, June 28, Gaston’s Tree Service brought five trucks with drivers and helpers to augment Waste Management’s yard waste collection routes. Waste Management has agreed to hire Gaston’s directly as a subcontractor and cover the cost of their services. Crews will be working from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week. The additional trucks and crews will be available throughout the month of July, if needed. Waste Management, with the assistance of Gaston’s Tree Service will continue to service areas in rotation – by day of the week – until all homes have been serviced and yard waste collection is back on schedule.
Residents are asked to leave yard waste curbside until it is collected. Service days will be posted daily at https://www.facebook.com/ClayCtyBCC and https://twitter.com/ClayCo_FL.
Residents will be advised once the initial yard waste cleanup is complete, and collection routes return to regular service days.
Clay County’s solid waste collection provider Waste Management has been struggling to keep up with yard waste collection routes due to labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the increase of unemployment benefits. Employee shortages for Waste Management and other haulers across the country, are causing yard waste to accumulate, resulting in longer delays in yard waste service. The collection of garbage and recyclables has been a priority in the interest of protecting public health. However, with the additional resources available for yard waste collection, it is anticipated that all routes will be caught up within two-to-three weeks.


Wreaths Across America
set for Dec. 18

CLAY COUNTY – This year’s Wreaths Across America Program will be held on Dec. 18 at the Keystone Heights Cemetery, Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park and Hardage-Giddens Holly Hill Memorial Park in Middleburg. The national program honors our Veterans that are laid to rest in cemeteries throughout the United States as well as honoring those that have served and are still serving.
Joan Jones for many years chaired the program in Keystone Heights and did it with such passion she asked Clay School Board member Tina Bullock to chair it. Jones said she can assure everyone if it were not for her health, she would still be doing it. However, her guidance and directions are still a much-valued force and I appreciate her dedication and help.
I hope to continue this program to honor our veterans and their families. Many dedicated community volunteers offer their time and services to make this program successful.
Jones and Bullock are asking individuals, organizations and businesses to help support our local program.
The goal is to place a beautiful live wreath on each Veteran’s Grave in the Keystone Cemetery at noon. Wreaths are $15 each or the best value is three wreaths for $30. To ensure they go to our local cemetery as local chair I coordinate this and ensure that our local code is entered. We need approximately 700 wreaths to make this happen.
If you would like to help, please make your checks out to Wreaths Across America, and mail them to Tina Bullock, P.O. Box 1093, Keystone Heights, FL 32656. The checks will be coded for Keystone Heights will be forwarded to the National Organization.
Please support this worthwhile event.
The project will kick off at the Keystone Heights July 4 parade at 11 a.m., and you can make your donation there.
If you have any questions, please contact Bullock at (352) 494-3454.