Armed with clipboards and a list of Unionville’s illegal dumping sites and problem areas, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful’s Litter Committee set out for a tour of Unionville late Tuesday morning.
KMBB Executive Director Asha Ellen rode shotgun in the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office van and directed the 10 observers to rate each of the five locations.
This litter index tour wasn’t so much about documenting the persistent problems, but checking the progress made in organized neighborhood cleanups in recent months.
“Sometimes in this work, you question if you’re making a difference,” Ellen said.
KMBB takes periodic tours to assess conditions across the county before and after workdays.
“Then we can sort of strategize to see areas where we need to focus on when we host community cleanups,” Ellen said.
From the bus, the committee could see dirt and grass in places that had previously been blocked by piles of discarded furniture, scattered belongings and hundreds of tires that concerned neighbors and volunteers removed.
One of Unionville’s recent cleanup organizers, Jacqueline Cummings, reported they found about a dozen illegal dumping sites, removed nearly 1,000 tires and installed some “no dumping” signs that threaten a $500 fine.
On Aug. 2, the “Growing up in Unionville” group’s recent back-to-school workday enlisted the help of the Bibb County School District and Macon-Bibb County leaders and firefighters.
KMBB board member Janice Habersham attends church in Unionville and has come face-to-face with some of the worst dumping sites.
While on the tour, she shared a story of trying to take a shortcut from her church parking lot and wound up on a street piled up with rubbish on either side of her car.
“It was terrifying,” Habersham said as the van was able to easily navigate through the now-cleared street.
Along Pio Nono Lane, the major piles of trash were gone but a few pieces of furniture and scattered rubbish remained off the shoulder of the road.
KMBB’s new volunteer and event coordinator, Ty Fiveash, was shooting a video on his cellphone through the window.
“This is ridiculous,” Fiveash said of the litter he saw.
“No, this is much better than it was. I’m talking about piles,” Habersham said, raising her arms high over her head.
“I’m going to take your word for it, Ms. Habersham, because this looks rough,” Fiveash said, while filming a discarded sofa, padded chair and scattered litter.
Others had the benefit of seeing Unionville before the cleanup.
Looking on the other side of the street, some of those passengers were amazed to find dozens of graves that were previously hidden by overgrown grass and vegetation.
“I didn’t even know there was a cemetery over here,” one lady said from the back of the van.
“You didn’t see the cemetery, none of that. Somebody’s done a beautiful job,” Habersham noted.
Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Judy Gordon replied, “I sure didn’t know it was over there.”
Through Gordon’s work in crime prevention and by chairing the Litter Committee, she helps KMBB identify neighborhoods that need organized cleanups.
“We want to make sure that we’re trying to focus on all sides of town, not just any one particular area,” Ellen said.
While moving through Unionville’s residential streets, Habersham noted some of the lovely homes with manicured lawns that were next to boarded-up houses with overgrown yards.
“My issue is having pride in your neighborhood,” she noted.
Gordon suggested the van also take a spin through the Northwoods subdivision off Riverside Drive and Forest Hill Road.
Some Northwoods neighborhood watch participants notified her of their concerns about illegal dumping and an abandoned vehicle at a vacant convenience store off Lee Road.
“They’re very active and keep me busy,” Gordon said. “I love that they’re being proactive.”
That car was already gone and the streets were clean and tidy.
“Not a tire in sight,” Fiveash remarked.
When neighbors see trash or illegal dumping, Gordon wants them to contact her so that she and KMBB can target those areas for cleanups.
“Like Miss Habersham said earlier, take back your neighborhood. Take the power back. Take control of your neighborhood and make a difference. You will see the difference,” Gordon said.
She certainly saw the change in Unionville.
“It was amazing to see that the community has come together, and they have made tremendous improvements on what we’ve seen in the past. So, it was amazing,” Gordon said.
Ellen, too, was encouraged by what they saw in Unionville, although blighted houses and overgrown lots still are prevalent.
“To see the improvements from what it was when we first started, it felt like we’re definitely on the right path,” Ellen said.
If neighborhood watch groups want to schedule cleanups, she encouraged them to contact Gordon at 478-447-9763 or [email protected].
Others with litter concerns can reach out to KMBB directly at 478-330-7054 or email [email protected].
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Jarvis Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
