Solid waste reports record recycling year; coroner presents part-time hire and reports one weather-related death

The fiscal court heard departmental updates that highlighted both service achievements and storm impacts. Solid waste reported its biggest recycling year and large litter‑abatement figures, while the coroner presented a part‑time office hire and reported a single weather-related fatality.

Danny Maston, speaking for solid waste, said the county’s Operation Beautification cleaned 92 road miles (reported as 184 ditch miles counting both sides) and collected roughly 754 bags during the one-week program. A separate partnership with the jail covered about 2,736 ditch miles and recorded 21,228 bags using the county’s 20‑pound per‑bag assumption. Maston said the county shipped 11,041,047 pounds of recyclable material (about 5,520 tons) last year and more than 9,000,000 pounds of cardboard.

The coroner told the court he planned to present Amanda Haney as a part‑time administrative worker (4 hours per day, five days a week) to handle office computer work and logging duties; he said final staffing decisions for deputy coroner roles would wait until the next elected coroner takes office in May. The coroner also reported one weather-related death: "A gentleman passed away in his camper. No heat," the coroner said.

Court members thanked departmental staff and volunteers for continuing operations throughout the severe-weather event.