Published: June 02, 2009 05:32 pm      

Assign-A-Highway — Time to put probationers to work

Hundred of probationers across Tazewell County are ready and willing to begin picking up unwanted trash and debris along area roadways.

But county officials have yet to appropriate funding for a coordinator for the new Assign-A-Highway program.

As a result, the probationers are still on a stand-by status.

About 800 probationers could qualify for participation in the Assign-A-Higway program, according to Tazewell County Sheriff H.S. Caudill. The probationers would remove litter from area roadways as part of their court-assigned community service.

However, Caudill said prior budget requests for an Assign-A-Highway coordinator have been rejected by the county Board of Supervisors.

“The program is going to work, but I need someone to run it,” Caudill said Monday. “I’m excited about having it, but what good is the program if you don’t have someone to oversee it.”

Caudill said he is encouraging the citizens of Tazewell County to ask their local supervisors to support the Assign-A-Highway program. He said the sheriff’s department has the manpower, and the probationers are ready to begin work. However, a program coordinator must still be budgeted to oversee the operations of the 800-plus probationers before they can begin picking up trash and debris.

The probationers agree to help pick up trash and litter along area roadways as part of their community service. Unfortunately, many roadways across Tazewell County are still littered with unwanted trash and debris. Having hundreds of probationers out and about removing trash and litter could make a significant difference.

We believe it is imperative to get those probationers to work — and soon.

While we realize times are tough, and finding funding for such a position could be difficult, we believe it is critical for the supervisors and the sheriff to work together to find a solution to the coordinator position.

A solution must be found, and found soon.

There are 800-plus probationers willing and ready to pick up trash and litter across the county. Why aren’t they working?

Let these men and women get to work so they can begin repaying their debt to society while also sprucing up the Tazewell County landscape.

The Assign-A-Highway program has been a success story in other parts of Southwest Virginia, and we believe it can be a win-win for Tazewell County.

We urge the supervisors and the sheriff to put our probationers to work.