Litterbugs beware. If you throw paper out the window or garbage over the hillside instead of stowing it in proper receptacles, you will pay.
So say the county officials who joined the Solid Waste Authority in a special brainstorming session Tuesday night to address litter eradication.
Solid Waste Authority Board President Harold McBride noted that the gathering was the SWA’s way of getting all county entities on the same page in the ongoing battle to make McDowell County completely litter free.
Everything from abandoned cars, polluted streams to dilapidated houses was discussed during the meeting, with the consensus being that local powers-that-be will crack down on polluters and offenders to the fullest extent that the law allows.
McBride said when the landfill is fully operational the county will have the resources to hire a litter control officer in all four districts.
“With the landfill now open and offering a free dump day once per month, now’s the time to get the county cleaned up,” he said. “We’re looking at the whole picture.”
County Commissioner Carl Ups related that the Commission’s Clean it/ Green Program is already underway, and that some abandoned structures in Maybeury have already been torn down. Urps said the plan is to proceed along the county’s main corridors first and then branch out into secondary routes.
County equipment and personnel are performing the work, so the progress will be slow.
“Once people see it, more will get on board and work with us,” Urps said, adding that the commission is committed to making the county litter free and free of dilapidated houses.
DNR Officer Gabe Wood related that he regularly encounters people from throughout the U.S. who visit McDowell County to hunt and fish. Cleaning up the county, he said, will help attract additional tourists. Wood said the county has made great strides in the past five years, but much remains to be done.

Wood, along with Litter Control Officer Wendell Hatfield encouraged the group to become involved in the clean up of Elkhorn Creed April 26. Last year, Hatfield said members of the Kanawha County Chapter of Trout Unlimited, with only one local volunteer, manually cleaned 18 tons of trash from the popular fishing stream. April 26, the process will be repeated because offenders continue to litter the same waterway.
Sheriff Danny Mitchell committed the Sheriff’s Department to working with the SWA, the DNR, the County Commission and the magistrates to insure that the state code against littering is enforced.
Littering may be reported to the Solid Waste Authority at 436-6608. The phone number of the Copper Ridge Landfill is 436-6174.
The group will meet again March 6, 6 p.m. at the County Commission Conference Room.

LITTER GETTERS - This group of local officials agreed unanimously Tuesday night to join hands and use every resource available to combat litter in McDowell County. Pictured are Sheriff Danny Mitchell, SWA Officer Manager Trish Blevins, Welch Policeman Justin Porterfield, Anawalt Mayor Eva Rash, County Commissioner Carl Urps, SWA Board Member Randall Patton, SWA Board President Harold McBride, Welch Police Chief Richard Van Dyke, Litter Control Office Wendell Hatfield, DNR Officer Gabe Wood, Magistrate Pete Beavers, Gwyn DeLoach, J.J. Rose, Health Dept; Officer S.P. McKinney, Kimball Mayor Randy DeLoach, Gary Mayor Henry Paul, Magistrate Steve Cox and Deputy Mark Shelton. (Photo by Cathy Patton)