The Joplin Globe
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The Joplin area has more than proved that it’s up to the task of solving problems.
So, here’s one that must be tackled.
What’s going to be done with the eyesore of a dump at Main and Zora streets?
Work on the new interchange at that intersection has resulted in the removal of the trees that once helped shield public eyes from the ugliness of the dump.
Not only are passing motorists welcomed to Joplin with the view of trash, those who live in that area have to look at it every day.
In a previous Globe story, Jack Schaller, assistant public works director for the city, said he has heard complaints and concerns from residents along Missouri Avenue and other parts of the affected area about the repercussions the construction project is having on their lives. The dumpsite is among those concerns.
Schaller said the city is aware of the dumpsite west of Main Street and south of the bridge site and that steps are being taken by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to address the problem. He said it is his understanding that the dump is outside the city in Jasper County.
John Bartosh, Jasper County presiding commissioner, said he and the other commissioners are checking to determine if the dumpsite is in the city or the county. He said he’s not sure what the commissioners can do if the site is in the county, but that they are investigating.
The illegal dump may have been covered up by trees, but it certainly comes as no surprise to anyone. It’s been there for a long time.
We figured out how to move millions and millions of tons of debris on a timeline after an EF-5 tornado.
Now, let’s quickly figure out how to clean up this unsightly mess along Main Street.
