COVINGTON, Ga. – The Newton County Solid Waste Management Authority reversed course Thursday evening and voted to keep the Piper Road convenience center open.

The center had been slated to close June 30 after authority members voted May 17 to close it and convert the recycling center on Bypass Road into a full-service center. Keeping the center open was placed on the agenda after District 5 Commissioner Ronnie Cowan addressed authority members and said he had heard concerns from his constituents about the closing.

“It would be remiss of me to not advocate on behalf of the people of District 5 that have been coming to the Piper Road convenience center and I ask y'all to reconsider that for them. I’ve had several calls on that, “he said.

Authority Member Buddy Morgan said keeping the center open is important to make it convenient for citizens to dispose of their trash.

“There are a lot of folks who use that Piper Road convenience center,” he said. “And that’s what we’re in the business of, is taking care of trash in the county.

“If we don’t make it convenient and affordable, you’re going to see a lot more out on the side of the road and we don’t want to look at that. We’re operating at a deficit and I understand that we need to make everything pay its own way, but we’ve got to look at the convenience for the citizens and the taxpayers. We can either pay for it keeping this convenience center open or we can pick it up on the side of the road.”

Members voted unanimously to reverse course and keep the center open.

The move gives citizens who purchase the $155 hang tags six full-service centers to choose from.

The centers are Adams Circle, Stone Road, Piper Road, Oak Hill, Bypass and Stewart. They will operate from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. The centers are closed on Sunday and Monday.