With less than a half a year finished, the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District is on target to bring to court close to the same number of violations as last year.

In 2015 for both counties, the district investigated and sent to prosecution 168 cases. Right now, the district has looked into approximately 70 cases.

Most of the cases began as felony dumping and burning, but were reduced to misdemeanor charges by the time they came to court.

Among those were Amy Hieronimus, of 1062 Township Road 218, who pleaded guilty to dumping household trash and tires, a felony that had been reduced to a misdemeanor. Before Ironton Municipal Court Judge O. Clark Collins, Hieronimus received a 30-day jail sentence that was suspended; $200 fine; five days of community service; one-year probation.; and 30 days to clean up the site.

Jessica Bundy and Frankie Grose also faced Collins for felony open burning and open dumping at 1050 Township Road 218 that was cut down to a misdemeanor. They also received a 30-day suspended jail sentence; five days community service; $200 fine, one-year probation and 30 days to clean up the site.

These situations could be eliminated if there were mandatory garbage service in the county, Dan Palmer, solid waste district director, said.

“We would see a drastic reduction in open dumping,” Palmer said. “And it would only cost between $15 to $18 a month.”

Besides open dumping on private property, the district also faces dumping at its recycling bins.

This month Valerie Sanders and Alicia Meece faced open dumping when they dumped carpeting and padding at the recycling bin at Wal-Mart in South Point.

Both women were fined $150 each; court costs of $110; probation and $146 restitution to the solid waste district. Restitution was ordered by Lawrence County Municipal Judge Donald Capper.

Sherman R. Collins faced comparable penalties when he dumped vinyl siding at the same recycling bin. The recycling bins are paid for by the $12 a year solid waste district fee that is part of every property owner’s taxes.

“The taxpayers pay for the recycling bins,” Palmer said. “We are fortunate to have a prosecutor like Brigham (Anderson), the sheriff and the judges.”