Someone recently dumped piles of trash, including two busted toilets, along Hargrove Lake and Suddeth roads. Offenders, if caught and convicted, can be fined and jailed.
Take a look at these photos.
A reader of The Oglethorpe Echo sent the photos over the weekend.
Don’t you wonder, “Who’s doing this illegal dumping in our community?”
This mess was made in the right-of-way along Hargrove Lake Road and Suddeth Road. As ugly and disrespectful as the acts of intense littering are, you must wonder how the dumping happened without someone taking notice.
Especially on heavily traveled Hargrove Lake Road.
Littering and dumping on public or private property is illegal in Oglethorpe County. The county code states:
“Any person, firm or corporation violating any portion of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, in the Magistrate Court of Oglethorpe County, shall be punished … .”
Punishment by the court can be meted out in a variety of ways, including a fine of not less than $100 and no more than $1,000, including the possibility of 60 days in jail.
The judge may also sentence the offender to pick up litter along roads, as well as order the name or names of the convicted to be published in the county newspaper. The code is clear: “Oglethorpe County shall not be responsible for any cost of cleanup or remediation.”
The beauty of our rural landscape is a point of pride in Oglethorpe County’s quality of life. That’s why we should be offended when someone dumps their garbage (and can you believe it?) — old toilets — along our roads.
You can be sure county officials are looking for clues to solve these crimes. In the meantime, we urge everyone to be a crimefighter and share what they know.
Again, take a look at these photos.
Disgusting, isn’t it?