At the regular meeting of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Tuesday evening, the biggest discussion wasn’t the brief four-item agenda but rather, citizens’ freedom of choice.

Four citizens came forward to speak on behalf of Deep South Sanitation, a trash collection service owned by Cary Scarborough, whom the County recently notified of the intent to sue if he did not halt the service and close his business.

The Board signed a contract with Veolia, now Advanced Disposal, in October, giving the company full and exclusive rights to operate as the sole collection company in Lowndes County at a cost of $12.80 per month to the residents it serves.

Scarborough has continued to operate in Lake Park and Lowndes County in spite of the agreement, which prompted the County to issue numerous Cease and Desist letters to Scarborough.

The Scarborough family announced on its Facebook page, Deep South Sanitation, LLC, May 13 that the County had issued a civil action lawsuit against the company with a preliminary hearing set for June 14. The post requests support from the page’s 441 subscribers, those who “liked” the page.

“The purpose of the hearing is to force Deep South to shut down on that day!” the post reads. “We are a small, local, family owned and operated business. We need your support because this hearing will effect almost every one of you. If we are forced out, Advanced Disposal will be your only choice for garbage service. That means there will be a monopoly for garbage service in Lowndes.”

The family posted another last-minute announcement about an hour prior to the meeting asking concerned citizens to attend and voice their opinions on the matter. County resident Steve Parker was the first to the podium.

“What’s wrong with a little competition?” Parker asked. “I don’t get it. If I have to hire who the County hires, what’s next? Telling me what plumber to use?”

Deep South has gained customers since the signing of the contract with Advanced Disposal, Parker said.

“If we took a vote in Lowndes County on whether to have a choice or make us use one company, what would the vote be?” Parker asked, taking his seat to an enthusiastic applause.

Duane Roark approached the podium next, but not to speak out against anyone, he said. Roark lauded Scarborough’s company for its dutiful service and its local perspective.

“We know where that money’s going,” Roark said. “That’s one man with one truck. Last I heard, Lowndes County was in the United States of America, not in Russia. I like Cary. He’s not trying to put anybody out of business; he’s just trying to keep himself afloat.”

Roark also received applause, and Gretchen Quarterman came forward. Her address was brief and simple.

“I wish you would drop this lawsuit and stop wasting taxpayer money,” she said, receiving more applause.

Carl Johnson, Jr., a veteran, was the last to approach, and he drew on his service record to appeal to the Board. He also shared that he was worried that Lowndes County would set a precedent from which it would be unable to return and by which other counties might set their own policies, creating similar sole operator contracts.

After the meeting’s adjournment, Chairman Bill Slaughter spoke to some of the residents in attendance to answer their questions. He explained that prior to the contract with Advanced Disposal, the County was losing $400,000 a year by keeping County recycling centers open.

“We knew then that we had to get into the trash business, or get out of it,” Slaughter said. “We would have had to buy our own trucks like the City of Valdosta and our own trash company.”

Instead, the Board decided it was more prudent to issue a Request for Proposals to any waste collection entity interested in a contract with the County, “trying to get the citizens the very best price for the very best service,” Slaughter said.

County governments in the State of Georgia are not required by law to issue RFPs for the best service; they are authorized under state law to contract with whomever the Board wishes.

After the RFP was released, nine companies requested a copy of the proposal and five submitted offers, according to County Clerk Paige Dukes. Scarborough submitted no offer.

Advanced Disposal was awarded the contract, holding the low bid of $12.80 per month to the County’s more than 14,000 households. Prior to the RFP and contract, the average price of service was more than $20.

To document the issue in its entirety, the County drafted an official statement for the public record on the issue that presents the position of the Board and Chairman.

“Most citizens have been pleased with the change since they are no longer hauling their trash to a center an/or have received a reduction in their monthly charge of almost half,” the statement reads. “Other citizens have been unhappy with the decisions made by the Commission, indicating they want their choice of haulers and do not want to be told who they have to do business with; both points have pros and cons.

“Some have the financial freedom to choose who they want and have indicated ‘it doesn’t matter what it cost.’ Others struggle financially and are pleased the county negotiated an exclusive rate that is controlled by a contract.”

Slaughter, who campaigned as a Republican interested in supporting small business, remained firm on the County’s decision after the meeting.

“We have to have a government, and we have to have ordinances,” Slaughter said. “If you can imagine what it would be like if just anybody could pick up trash, you would have people out there in pickup trucks trying to pick up trash. We need some controls so you can get the best service. And it comes down to nobody wants an ordinance if it’s restrictive to them.”

In other business, the Board unanimously agreed to the following:

• a Memorandum of Agreement with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency for the sheltering of evacuees from coastal Georgia and Florida in the event of a hurricane. In the agreement, GEMA chose Lowndes County as a host county for evacuees and provides a trailer and a small cache of supplies for those evacuees. This is a continuation of a former agreement.

• an application for a $500,000 grant through the 2013 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program to issue RFPs as an incentive to help develop juvenile justice projects to curb juvenile recidivism. The County will be initially responsible for the $500,000 for the projects, which the grant will reimburse.

• a contract with the Department of Transportation to allow Lowndes County to perform litter removal and mowing services on state highways within the County. The DOT will reimburse the County $2,500 per mile per year for the maintenance.