Trash along Cumberland County road has locals fed up from lack of help
A pile of trash that's mounting up on Jefferson Street just outside of Hope Mills is an eyesore.
The folks who live nearby have made several attempts to clean it up, but now they're fed up because they're not getting any help.
There's a sign nearby that reads, "LITTERING IS ILLEGAL, MAX FINE $1,000." No one seems to care.
This section of Jefferson Street forms an earthen dam. One side shows a beautiful pond with geese and wildlife. But the other side is hard to look at.
Residents have reported the problem to the State Department of Transportation. The agency responsible for keeping the earthen dam area clean.
"They say they came out here and seen it but nothing's getting done," said George Kaufmann, who lives in Cumberland County.
Kaufmann's girlfriend lives just off Jefferson Street. The couple has spent several weekends bagging trash. Kaufmann says at times it's been frustrating.
"That corner back there, we got 10 bags, contractor bags, and before we could come back the next morning in my truck and get it up, somebody came and ripped them all open so we had to re-bag it again," Kaufmann said.
Not only is there trash. There are large pieces of furniture. Kaufmann said it's a health issue for the community.
"The main concern is the wildlife on the pond," Kaufmann said. "We got geese out here and ducks. Children out here. We pick up syringes all the time."
The county has inspectors that can come out and rip these bags open and find something like a prescription for someone named Bobbie who lives on Arlington Street here Hope Mills. The prescription is from September of 2023.
"We found a couple pieces of mail," Kaufmann said. "They just told us to hold on to them and we called DOT but they haven't responded."
North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale said the DOT has an on-call litter pick-up contract that is used to pick up trash at hot spots and problem areas where there are complaints. Barksdale said they plan to send the litter contractor to Jefferson Street to clean things up before the end of the month.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation wants to remind everyone that those who litter may be fined and face community service for intentionally and unintentionally littering under the state's anti-littering law.
