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Commissioners continue to address litter

March 02, 2022 - 05:00
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On February 24, the Bandera County Commissioners' Court revisited plans for trash removal on the county-maintained right-of-ways (ROWs following an initial request from Commissioner Jody Rutherford, a Bridlegate community group and other concerned citizens who detailed ROW litter concerns to the court last month.

County Road Superintendent John Andrade presented the estimated costs for the undertaking of future road clean-ups by Bandera County community groups, such as additional signage, vests, bags, and pickers. In this plan, the public would be given access to county road clean up equipment on a check-out basis.

Regarding discussions with TxDOT, who stressed that Bandera County develop their own guidelines, the process for their Adopt-a-Highway program provides trash pickup on the state ROWs after a clean-up has occurred at an adopted sector of highway.

TxDOT’s Adopt-a-Highway program offers two-mile stretches of highways that, once adopted, are agreed-upon to be cleaned up four times a year. During clean-up, the bottom portion of the custom sign for that group is flipped down to warn drivers of “Litter pick-up ahead”. TxDot provides vests, litter bags, and safety training to its group volunteers.

The Commissioners’ Court plans to develop a policy for Bandera County and appointed a committee to collaborate over the next few weeks to develop an action plan to be reported at a future Court meeting for review and a vote.

The committee’s members are Commissioner Bruce Eliker, John Andrade, Mike Stiborik and Bob Brischetto.

Brischetto, a resident of Bandera County, initiated the Medina River Cleanup in 2001. Along with aid from Commissioner, Bobby Harris, he formed a community effort of volunteers, averaging 200 per year over the next two decades.

“There are concerns that go beyond the public roads to related concerns, such as the discontinuation of recycling efforts by the county and the fees that must be paid by those who are least able to afford or altogether unable to dispose of their trash,” said Brischetto.

Brischetto said that volunteer members have recently been responding to requests by Meals on Wheels clients to help remove some of the buildup of trash at their residents.

“Removal that they could neither do themselves nor afford,” said Brischetto.

After Briscetto heard of the road clean-up executed by the Bridlegate group coordinated by Mike Stiborik in January, he brought this to the attention of other groups and individuals.

In response to the recent awareness surrounding the issue of trash, recycling and all things garbage, Brischetto is appealing to the public to join in the effort to get on the volunteer list.

You email him at rrbrischetto@ gmail.com or call 210-413-7264.