In late June of this year, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners announced that after compiling citizen suggestions, holding numerous open meetings, etc. that the Solid Waste Management Plan would be ready to be implemented Sept. 1.

According to a story in The Times on June 26, “Lowndes County will initiate a process beginning July 1 for residents to dispose their household waste to ensure a smooth transition, accompanied by public solid waste education, to user fees that will go into effect Sept. 1.”

Monday is Sept. 1, and there hasn’t been another word uttered from the commissioners about this issue.

Where’s the plan? What is the final version? Are user fees going into affect on Monday? Are citizens required to buy punch cards or stickers? How much are they?

In light of the recent storm, what are citizens supposed to do with the massive amounts of yard debris, downed trees and limbs? What waste companies will offer service to the county? What is going to happen to recyclables?

All of these questions and more are waiting to be answered. In June, The Times was informed that the county staff was asked to revisit the issue and come up with a variety of plans for the commissioners to vote on. However, there have been no plans, and no vote. It was not even an item on the agenda for the county meeting Tuesday night, despite being less than one week from the proposed day of implementation.

In June, County Manager Joe Pritchard stated, “Prior to September 1, an extensive public education campaign will be implemented in an effort to inform those residing in unincorporated Lowndes County of the new plan.”

If there is a new plan, citizens need to know what it is. If there is not a new plan, then the commissioners should have announced that as well. But for all the uproar caused by the county when they informed the public in the spring that they were changing the trash rules, citizens deserve more than a non-committal, still-haven’t-made-a-decision answer from their elected officials.