CALVARY — The Grady County Board of Commissioners outlined the plans and costs Tuesday to convert the unmanned garbage dumpsite on Beck Branch Road into a manned location.

Commissioners approved an $8,000 purchase of 350 tons of lime rock base and a $15,000 purchase of 575 tons of crushed asphalt to convert the site into a manned location.

Road department superintendent Stanley Elkins said at least 15 individuals had applied for the part-time positions needed to operate the site and applications would continue to be accepted for another week.

Students from Cairo High School’s construction program will build a shelter at the location free of charge to house the site guard, saving the county money on labor in the process. Building materials for the structure will be furnished by the county.

Commissioner Ray Prince said he reached out to the program’s instructor, who expressed interest in using the job as an educational project for his students.

Additional costs to convert the Beck Branch site into a manned location include the installation of a portable toilet with a hand wash station.

Commissioner June Knight said she was interested in placing a septic tank and stationary toilet at the site at some point due to the existence of a well once used for a school that previously stood at the location.

“I understand that (not every dumpsite has a well), but for the ones that do, let’s make them nice,” Knight said.

Prince said the construction of a permanent bathroom would cost approximately $10,000 to $12,000 and could not be constructed immediately.

The commission voted Jan. 8 to begin closing the 35 unmanned dumpsites across the county, leaving seven locations guarded by a part-time monitor.

Calvary resident Steve Rudd, who has lived at the location near the Beck Branch dumpsite for more than 20 years, said he was concerned the fewer dumpsites around the county meant more garbage was going to pile up next to his house.

“Let’s just be honest — if this was right next to your house, it would be top-shelf,” Rudd said.

Rudd said he hoped the site could be beautified by concealing it with trees.

“I’d love to see some leyland cypresses or something just to block that thing,” Rudd said. “I might even buy them.”

Rudd later offered the commissioners $40,000 to purchase the site.

The commissioners hesitated on the option to sell the land to Rudd but said they would look into beautifying the site with shrubbery.

Elkins told Rudd the improved site would be organized and no longer be an eyesore.

“I think the biggest thing is when we get this thing done it isn’t going to be like it is now,” Elkins said. “It’s going to be neat and nice.”

County Administrator Buddy Johnson said he hoped the manned dumpsites would solve what he described as “a perfect storm in sanitation” resulting in numerous messy dumpsites across the county filled beyond capacity.

A road department report submitted to the commissioners Tuesday stated part-time crews cleaned garbage sites 58 times in December. Solid waste crews hauled 60 loads of garbage to landfills in Thomas and Decatur counties during the same time.

Three part-time employees will be needed for each site, which will cost slightly less than $30,000 in annual wages per location.

Johnson said most of the money for the wages will come from revenue from the sale of scrap metal.

Commissioners met Jan. 4 for a special meeting with Elkins to discuss possible solutions for the issue. The idea of creating manned dumpsites was discussed at the meeting.

Johnson said creating a monitored dumpsite would likely cost between $50,000 and $55,000.

Additional manned dumpsites are planned along Ridge Road, Broad Street and near Whigham and possibly Beachton.

Elkins said the next site established would likely be the Whigham location.

A manned dumpsite already exists on 20th Street in Cairo.