The Starke County Commissioners discussed the possibility of creating an ordinance to impose fines on people who illegally abandon boats, trailers, campers and other large items along county roads.
During Monday’s meeting, commissioners said they had initially considered offering rewards to citizens who provide information leading to those responsible for illegally dumping such items. However, the county attorney said he was unable to find anything in state law allowing the county to offer cash rewards to private individuals for that purpose.
Instead, commissioners discussed developing an ordinance that would establish penalties for illegal dumping. During the discussion, commissioners considered possible fines for larger items requiring towing, along with lower penalties for other illegally discarded items such as mattresses. They also discussed how any ordinance could be enforced and collected.
The county attorney said he would research what such an ordinance could look like, including allowable penalty amounts and enforcement options, and bring additional information back to the commissioners for future consideration.
No official action was taken during Monday’s meeting.
