Harvard Yard resident seeks solutions

Harvard Yard resident seeks solutions

Community appeals to county for help with trash pickup, grass cutting

news@theeveningtimes.com

A resident of Harvard Yard is calling on the county to do more to help clean up the crumbling subdivision.

Orlando Tanner, who has lived in Harvard Yard for the past 25 years, said he has been picking up trash and mowing areas that the county should, and accused the county of neglecting the residents there.

“I’d like to see the county work on the grass. And work on the trash,” Tanner said. “That’s stuff the county can be doing. I’m out doing the county’s job.

And I know the county has more funds than I do and way more equipment than I do.”

Harvard Yard is an older subdivision in the unincorporated part of Crittenden County. Residents get their water from Sunset, but do not have trash pick up service.

Uncollected trash and debris has been a problem in Harvard Yard for years.

Many of the homes are rental property and owned by absentee landlords. Others are empty and in poor condition.

Tanner said former County Judge Brian Williams made sure that the grass was mowed in the common areas and that trash was cleaned up.

But in the last ten years, he said he has been the one mowing the common areas and sponsoring clean up days, not the county.

“I see what is going on out there,” Tanner said. “I’m the one who has been doing it with funds out of my own pocket as a community service. Since he (Judge Williams) has left the grass has maybe been cut ten times.”

County Judge Woody Wheeless said he and Sheriff Mike Allen have had county jail inmates pick up garbage in Harvard Yard.

The county has hauled off 14 Dumpsters of trash this year so far from Harvard Yard.

“I commend you for what you are doing,” Wheeless said. “You say the county hasn’t done anything.

We’ve spent over $5,000 this year alone on Harvard Yard Dumpsters,” Wheeless

said.

Justice Lisa O’Neal, who chairs the county’s clean-up committee, said they tear down about five or six houses a year at county expense, and have sent out numerous letters to property owners in Harvard Yard advising them that they need to clean up their property.

The county is limited though both by its budget and what they can legally do, O’Neal added.

“Sir, you should be my best friend because I have been talking about this for a long time,” O’Neal said.

“I’m thrilled that you’re here talking about this. But you have to understand, too, that we can’t mow private property. We have torn down about 15 houses and we send out letters . But if we don’t hear back from them, we can’t legally go on anybody’s property.”

O’Neal and Wheeless said they plan to talk to Sunset about adding a charge on the water bill to provide for garbage pick up in Harvard Yard. Marion does the billing for Sunset and would have to add it as a line item on the bill.

O’Neal asked Tanner to work with the county to come up with a solution.

“If we can get Sunset to pick up the trash that is going to solve a lot of the problems out there,” O’Neal said. “So let’s meet with the city and see if they will do that. There is no one on this board who wants Harvard Yard to continue the way it is.”

Tanner agreed to attend the next city council meeting in Sunset but said there is still more the county could be doing.

“I want to be a part of the solution,” Tanner said. “I want Harvard Yard to be revitalized. I know how it used to look. And I know how it can look. That’s why I am here. This needs to be addressed. Everybody has got to come together. Harvard Yard has been neglected for 20 years. It is a lot more than just private property. The county is the one who is supposed to maintain it. Not me.”

By Mark Randall