MACON, Ga. — A Macon-Bibb County commissioner says he's fed up with illegal dumping in his district, so he's doing something about it.
So far, Commissioner Bill Howell's efforts have led to one man's arrest.
Commissioner Howell says cleaning up District 7 is personal.
Howell is retired now and says he has the time to drive around his district every day, checking the hot spots for illegal dumping.
"You can either be part of the solution or part of the problem," Howell said.
He also set up over five trail cams around District 7, trying to catch those causing the problem.
"Let's just say there's several places I'm watching these days. It's amazing what you can catch on a trail cam," Howell said.
But one day, he didn't even need his trail cams because, he says, he caught people in action, illegally dumping.
Howell says he was checking around Pinson Street and Buena Vista Avenue on Tuesday when he drove up to find two men unloading a trailer full of debris.
"Plywood, tire, PVC pipe, just scrap of what you're seeing here now," Howell said pointing to some debris left behind. "I got evidence on my phone then confronted them and asked what they were doing."
Howell says that encounter ended with the men loading most of it back up onto the trailer.
He says he later turned over a description of the two men and the vehicle along with its tag number to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.
"By whatever means it is to stop it, we're going to pursue whatever means it takes," Howell said.
One of those men Howell encountered that day turned himself in to the Bibb County jail Monday morning. He faces a misdemeanor charge of illegal dumping, and as of Monday evening, he was still in the jail.
The sheriff's office says they are still working to identify the second man involved.
"This is kind of putting a spotlight back on illegal dumping, " said Major Brad Wolfe with Bibb County Sheriff's Office.
Wolfe says if you see someone illegally dumping, call the sheriff's office and report it, but do not confront the person you think is committing the crime.
"The best thing they can do for us is get us a tag number and possibly the description of the person doing the illegal dumping," Wolfe said.
You can also make a report online on BSO's website if you see someone illegally dumping.
Howell says since reporting the incident to the sheriff's office, he has not seen any new trash in that area of his district.
Mayor Lester Miller says the county plans to roll out a new program this summer, similar to CrimeStoppers, but specifically geared toward stopping illegal dumping.