By Linda Dean Cooper
Tuesday, April 8, agenda item 15 for board approval is another continuation of Levy County management’s failures. The DEP has fined Levy County $4,500 for failing to file landfill operations permits while under the Direction of Benny Jerrels.
Benny Jerrels, Given $11,731.60 Stipend as Division Director – Annual Salary $90,001
As Division Director, Jerrels will supervise Solid Waste, Maintenance, and Water under Manager Mary Ellen Harper’s new restructuring. How she chose the five Division Directors is unclear. It is a well-known fact that the landfill operates at a loss every year, which is why taxpayers are assessed $116 to subsidize the operation. There is no ID check for residential dumping. There is no definitive way employees working the scales know whether commercial haulers’ garbage trucks are in or out of the county and dump residential garbage at no cost. There is a scribbled note on the window at the scales: “no outside garbage allowed.”
Where is the justification for Jerrels to supervise the construction and maintenance department? What is his knowledge of the water utilities that are in a state of disrepair and taxpayers have subsidized for decades?
Where are the County’s Recycling Programs?
The Landfill Director is responsible for annual programs for landfill and recycling operations. We have Tire Amnesty Day once a year and some cardboard recycling, but that is all I know of. Florida Statutes has a 75 percent statewide recycling goal. Does Levy come close to meeting that standard?
Look at Levy County’s website regarding recycling. It is a joke. It mentions recycling trailers that were removed years ago because people dumped their household garbage, and the private landowners that allowed the trailers became disgusted with their property looking like a dump site, so they were removed.
DEP Fines Levy County $4,500
The requested action on Tuesday’s regular meeting is for the BoCC to approve entering into a consent order with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the continued operation of the Levy County Solid Waste Management Facility disposal areas and the waste tire collection center until new permits are issued, payment of a $4,500 fine and allowing the Chair to sign the consent order. The fine consists of $4,000 for civil penalties and $500 for costs and expenses incurred by the DEP during the investigation of the matter and the preparation and tracking of the Consent Order
Taxpayers must pay for the incompetence and lack of accountability of select county employees. As a formality, County Engineer Andrew Carswell will ask BoCC to approve paying the fine.
As the Solid Waste & Recycling Director, one of Jerrel’s duties is to review Levy County’s status for regulatory compliance and direct whatever actions are necessary to meet compliance. It appears Jerrels and Carswell failed in doing their jobs.
Gulf Hammock Rock Pit Out of Compliance February 2023
This is not the first time the county has fallen out of compliance with DEP. On February 13, 2023, the county failed to renew its blasting permit for the Gulf Hammock rock pit and was shut down by the State. The only activity allowed until the blasting permit was awarded was rock crushing and stockpiling of lime rock. Over a year later, on March 5, 2024, the BoCC approved a consulting firm to be paid $58,500 because the scope of work was not in Carswell’s area of expertise. Why did it take over a year for the county’s engineer to know it was out of his area of expertise?
Jerrels Failed to Budget $110,000 Tipping Floor Repairs
The tipping floor is that foul-smelling, disgusting place where garbage is dumped when taken to the landfill. The concrete floor has been in disrepair for years, rebar showing through in several areas.
At the March 18th regular meeting, Landfill Assistant Director Travis Newsome requested a $110,000 budget amendment. Jerrels rarely presents items for his department at BoCC meetings. Why did he not budget for the floor repairs in last year’s budget sessions instead of asking to amend his current budget to be taken from county reserves?
No Details for Commercial Haulers During Floor Shut-Down
Commissioner Kennedy asked for plan details for the public and commercial haulers during the 10-day floor closure. Newsome said, “So I think our plan was we’re going to probably shut down commercial haulers for a certain amount of days that week. We will still take the general public over in the old recycling building.” Kennedy reminded him about all the restaurants in the county. Newsome said, “Well, they can still take to other transfer stations.” Kennedy pushed for more details on how the shutdown was going to work, and Newsome said they weren’t sure.
Division Directors Are Appointed and Can Be Discontinued at Any Time
Division directors are appointed. According to the job description, they are highly responsible for administrative and managerial work, directing the department assigned to their division.
How did Jerrels get appointed as Division Director when as the Solid Waste and Recycling Director his department operated at a loss every year? Why did he not budget the $110,000 for repairs he knew about for several years but had to request funds from county reserves? What are the county’s recycling programs?
Why did he not implement something as simple as showing an ID to prove Levy County residency? It would eliminate out-of-county dumping in our landfill and reduce costs.
Time to Contract Landfill and Recycling Options in Levy?
Budget sessions will be starting in a few months. With potential property tax reform on the horizon, it is time to cut the fat and look to reduce costs by bidding out more departments and projects. Maybe it’s time to bid out the landfill to a private contractor. One that will run an efficient operation. Perhaps it’s time for an outside contractor to provide recycling options, garbage separators for bio-mass power plants, or clean power by burning garbage.
PDF of April 8, 2025 Agenda Item Including DEP Consent Order
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