By Becky Long
Publisher
The topic of the newly passed ordinance which will add a $100 fee for transfer station services to ad valorem property taxes reached a fever pitch online this week. Some agree, some do not. And some do not understand it.
The ordinance calls for a $100 itemized fee on property tax listings on dwellings/ residences outside the city limits. The new funding will help pay for the operation, upkeep and improvements at the county’s transfer station. Funding generated from the fee is earmarked exclusively for that purpose.
“Vacant land, businesses, etc. are not included,” confirmed County Commission Chairman Rob Peck.
Residents inside the city limits are not subject to the fee because garbage disposal is included in their taxes. Town residents pay .695 per $100 property valuation whereas county residents pay .43 plus 4 cents fi re tax per $100 valuation.
The Solid Waste Disposal ordinance passed July 17. Here are highlights from the ordinance press release. The ordinance is also printed in full in this issue. Peck addressed some of the issues that have been raised in an opinion piece on page A 5:
• All residential properties which lie in Clay County and are outside the municipal boundaries of the Town of Hayesville are subject to the $100 per year solid waste availability fee, regardless of whether the property owner has a private hauler picking up the solid waste and hauling it to the Clay County Transfer Station or the property owner wishes to take his/her own household trash to the Clay County Transfer Station.
• For those who have been paying a yearly trash permit of $125/year, this solid waste fee will replace that.
• To use the Clay County Transfer Station & Recycling services, the property owner will need to complete an application for a permit online or at the Clay County Transfer Station and submit proof of a current year paid tax receipt.
• Once the solid waste fee payment is verified, a permit sticker will be issued by the Transfer Station. The property owner will receive one permit per residence at the Clay County Transfer Station. Additional permits will be available for $20 each. These permits must be displayed on the vehicle which is bringing the solid waste to the Transfer Station to prevent fraud.
• To access the Transfer Station & Recycling services, each property owner will need to pay their ad valorem taxes in order to receive the solid waste permit beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The permits that property owners have now will expire midnight Dec. 31, 2025 and the new permits will begin effective Jan. 1, 2026.
This can be done:
• Online at: clayconc.com, click on transfer station or recycling center.
• In person at the transfer station office to fi ll out the application. Once your solid waste fee payment is verified, a permit sticker will be issued by the transfer station.
• An annual fee of $100 will be assessed on each residence in Clay County that lies outside municipal corporate limits of the Town of Hayesville.
• Each residence can dump household garbage only.
• Each residence is permitted to dump five large (30 to 40 gallon) bags or 10 small bags per week. Any amount over this limit will be charged solid waste tipping fees as listed below:
• Disposal of solid waste that is not considered household garbage or exceeds the 5 large bags of household garbage or the 10 small bags of household garbage per week will be charged a tipping fee of five (5) cents per pound.
• Businesses will be charged a tipping fee of $88 per ton.
• Solid waste hauling businesses that haul solid waste as their business will be charged $80 per ton.