The County Line
 
For the past 18 months, Collin County has been providing three sites around the county where, on the first Saturday of each month, residents can bring their debris for disposal at no charge.  This past fiscal year, Collin County took in 2,240 tons of debris along with 4,520 tires.  The disposal cost for the debris alone totaled $159,600 which averages out to $71 a ton. 
 
Recently, Collin County contracted with the North Texas Municipal Water District to utilize their recently opened landfill in Melissa to conduct the once-a-month cleanups at their location.  Through cooperation with the District, what was costing $71 a ton in disposal will now cost just $19.85 a ton.   
 
With one site, we realize that some will have to drive further and we apologize for any inconvenience.  However, these savings will ensure that the program will remain stable and will not need to rely on grants (which may or may not be awarded) in order to continue.  Having one site also means that we will not have to utilize rolloffs which were costing us $285 per rolloff (up to 50 rolloffs per month) to be hauled a few extra miles.     
 
The new site will begin operation the first Saturday in October and will continue the first Saturday of each month from 8am until 3pm.  (On holiday weekends such as New Years, July 4^th and Labor Day we will be open the second Saturday of the month.) There will be no charge for citizens but proof of residence, such as a driver’s license, will be required. Residents will be able to drop off most refuse consisting of general debris, properly drained freon appliances with a freon recovery certification, up to six tires, boards and tree limbs not longer than four feet.
 
However, household garbage, chemicals, paints, motor oil, batteries and contractor construction debris will not be accepted.  Please do not even attempt to bring them.  If these materials are brought to the site, a sheriff’s deputy will be on hand to direct you to a second line in which you will be charged the District rate for disposing.  This program was not designed to take the place of garbage pickup, but rather to provide an avenue for residents to drop off other junk and debris that private haulers would not pick up.
 
Also, beginning the first Saturday in December, Collin County will be offering recycling at the Melissa site for paper, glass, plastics and aluminum products.  This will be the first time the county has ever been involved in a recycling program, but with our growth in the rural areas it is very much needed.
 
The overwhelming response to this cleanup program shows that there is a need.  It is hard to believe that a few years ago it ran just one day a year.  This program has also become a successful tool in battling illegal dumping.   Had the program not been in place much of the debris and tires taken in would have very well ended up in a creek or alongside a county road.
 
 
 
 

The Outer Loop
 
The Outer Loop is a future east-west thoroughfare north of US 380, which is designed to connect I-35 to US 75.  For the past two years, Collin County has been conducting a corridor study and we have been meeting with citizens and city councils throughout the county to receive their input.
 
Three corridors have been studied.  The corridors are about 5-6 times as wide as a road would be and this project is many years away.  However, as cities grow this will be a planning tool for them to preserve the necessary right-of-way before another 100,000 people move into the area.
 
After receiving input concerning environmentals, topography and a lack of disruption to residents, the commissioners’ court selected Corridor A which is the southern corridor.  Recently, engineers have come back with five possible routes within that corridor.  These routes can be viewed under the Outer Loop link at www.collincountytx.gov.
 
Several town hall meetings to discuss the routes were scheduled in September.  After citizen input, all routes will be reevaluated.  Keep in a mind that the final route could be one of the proposed routes, a combination of the proposed routes or even none of the proposed routes.  Once routes are reevaluated a citizens committee will be formed to seek the donations of intended right of way.
 
Collin County is not out to construct another LBJ ASAP.  Our objective is to establish a route that is citizen friendly so that, again, as cities grow and plan they will have some idea in regards to zoning and set-back requirements. Once construction does begin it will consist of a two-lane county type asphalt road laid down in sections and, over time, as growth occurs, the necessary right-of-way will already be in place to expand the road when needed.  At that point, cities will have already annexed those areas and will be taking the lead regarding road expansion.
 
(Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes’ website is www.joejaynes.com.)