Concrete Recycling Returns to Arkansas County Agenda

For the second time this year the Jefferson County, Arkansas, Quorum Court will be asked to approve funds for a concrete recycler.

An appropriation ordinance to spend $200,000 for a used concrete recycler will be considered by the Solid Waste/Recycling and Finance Committees at committee meetings this week.

In March the justices of the peace tabled an ordinance that would have allowed County Judge Jack Jones to spend more than $500,000 on a new recycler and an excavator to remove concrete from the ground. The money would have come from funds the county received from the sale of revenue bonds last year.

The new ordinance was introduced by JP Ted Harden who said the March proposal was tabled because the "JPs didn't have enough information at that time to know how to vote."

"I talked several times with Sherry Caldwell (County Recycling Coordinator) and asked her to provide supporting documents that would identify the cost savings and would deal with environmental issues and she has done that," Harden said.

"This is a different piece of equipment from the original proposal," Harden said. "It's used, but I've been told it's in good shape and will serve the same purpose as the new one."

Harden said Road Department officials say there is not an "immediate need for the excavator."

"We will take it one step at a time," Harden said. Pine Bluff (Arkansas) Commercial