We appreciate the fact that Rockdale County Commissioners JaNice VanNess and Oz Nesbitt are concerned about the way some folks in Rockdale County handle their trash. However, what they heard at their own meetings with residents is that the residents don’t want a county mandatory trash collection. There are currently private trash haulers that do a good job picking up trash from residents who subscribe to their service.

What the commissioners might want to do instead is insure that people who trash their yards are fined and punished for not following county ordinances. And if the laws don’t have teeth, than pass some that do.

There is nothing as bad as living in a neighborhood or next to a neighbor that has no pride in the upkeep of his or her property. To that end we are going to run a picture each week of a public eyesore with the hopes of shaming the owners. The Eyesore of the Week will be a picture of an unoccupied house or business that has become a liability to our community. On the opposite end, we will also be glad to highlight well-kept, beautiful homes, with the owner’s permission. If you have some suggestions, email Editor Michelle Kim at mkim@rockdalenews.com