Sites designated for Cherokee County storm debris collection

Published 3:47 pm Thursday, May 28, 2015

1. Disaster declaration for Cherokee County

Cherokee County residents are busily picking up downed tree limbs and other storm debris following a powerful thunderstorm that rolled through the county this week.

County commissioners and the city of Jacksonville have set up dumpsites where storm debris can be taken. Each site will only accept tree limbs and organic yard debris. No trash or home debris will be accepted.

Precinct 3 residents can take their limbs to a site on County Road 3305. Signs will be put up directing traffic to the area. The land will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through next week, including Saturday and Sunday. Crews will be available on site to help unload the debris.

Limbs can also be taken to the Precinct 3 County Barn on U.S. Highway 79.

Precinct 3 County Commissioner Katherine Pinotti said her crews will also be available to help the elderly or sick clear their land. She said her county barn is still without electricity, but she can be reached at 903-445-7945 with questions or requests for help.

Precinct 1 and 4 residents can take their debris to a site on County Road 4209 at the Mud Creek Off Road Park in the Afton Grove Community, Precinct 1 Commissioner Kelly Traylor said.

The site will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Monday or Tuesday, depending on need. The site will also be open over the weekend.

In Jacksonville, residents can put their debris on the curb for the city to pick up, according to a Facebook post from Jacksonville Mayor Dick Stone.

Residents with debris are asked to call the city at 903-586-3510 and get on the waiting list to have the waste picked up. City officials anticipate it will take several weeks to get all the debris picked up and ask residents to be patient.

Jacksonville has requested a temporary burning permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Stone said.

Once the permit is received, residents can take debris directly to 1923 Byrd Road, near the baseball and soccer fields, if they don’t want to wait on city pickup. If TCEQ denies the request, the city will still pick up the debris but will have to take it to the city dump instead of Byrd Road.

Twitter: @TMTFaith