BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court is advertising for bids for a garbage hauler in District 3.
During the Dec. 15 court meeting, District 3 Magistrate Derrick Stepp informed Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty that the court had received a letter of resignation from Jude’s Garbage Pickup advising the company would only continue to pick up trash for the next 30 days.
“My suggestion is we make a motion to accept their resignation and to place a bid in the paper for the next two weeks accepting bids from interested parties,” Stepp said. “Then plan for you all to open those bids and vote to accept the best one at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 19.”
Martin County Attorney Melissa Phelps said the county might have to “eat the cost” of paying a hauler if there is a lapse between Jude’s last pickup and the new hauler starting their duties.
“We had to do the same thing when Robinson was removed as District 4 hauler and Vanover began,” Phelps explained.
Merky Jude, owner of Jude’s Sanitation after her late husband Michael passed away, explained the reason for her resignation.
“With the rising fuel costs over the last year or so, maintenance and repairs on our trucks and cost of labor, I was putting money into the business every month and haven’t made a profit in quite a while,” Jude told the Mountain Citizen. “It’s no longer feasible for me to continue doing the route, and it has created a financial burden I cannot afford.”
Jude said she would be happy to assist the county in any way possible during the transitional period when her 30-day notice is up and a new hauler begins.
“I don’t want this to create any issues for the residents in District 3, and I want to thank them for the opportunity to serve as their hauler over the last six years,” said Jude. “I also wish the new hauler the best of luck with the job. If they have any questions concerning the route, all they have to do is contact me.”
The advertisement for bids is included in this week’s newspaper and is scheduled for print again in the Dec. 28 edition.