647 Cone Rd.
PO Box 47
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
Ph: (828) 295-5228
Fax: (828) 295-5202
Public Works/Utilities Director: Matt Blackburn

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Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The Public Works Department is made up of three divisions: the Street Division, Sanitation/Recycling Division, and the Water/Sewer Field Operations Division.

Street Division

Zone Pick-up Schedule

Description and Responsibilities

The Street Division is one of the operating divisions of the Public Works Department. The division is primarily responsible for the maintenance of the Town street system. Typical work activities include street maintenance, painting and striping, sidewalk maintenance, cleaning of ditches, right-of-way clearing, sweeping of town street’s, patching pot holes, adding gravel to unpaved streets, snow removal, and leaf removal.

Several new subdivision streets have been added in recent years, and the division now maintains over 25 miles of road surface. The division also has a contract with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to remove snow and surface treatment another 4.2 miles of roadway, for which the Town is reimbursed.

Street Division employees also assist with the solid waste collection, the mowing of Town property, concrete finishing, and the installation and maintenance of the water distribution system and the wastewater collection system. This division also maintains Woodlawn Cemetery.

Staffing

The Street Division is under the direction of the Director of Public Works. Eight full-time positions are assigned to this division, including the Director, the Assistant Director, Mechanic, Heavy Equipment Operator, Light Equipment Operator, two Equipment Operators and one Laborer.

Sanitation and Recycling Division

Description and Responsibilities

The Sanitation and Recycling Division is responsible for the collection of solid waste from all residences and most commercial properties in Blowing Rock. Residential pick-up is once-a-week (Monday or Tuesday) and is collected at curbside. Commercial service is offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. General weekend pick-up is also provided along Main Street and in Memorial Park. In addition, the Sanitation and Recycling Division collects commercial recycling (cardboard and glass) on a Thursday-only schedule.

The solid waste is hauled to a transfer station at the Watauga County Landfill in Boone. Watauga County charges the Town a tipping fee of $49.00 for each ton of commercial solid waste that is delivered to the landfill. The County does not charge a tipping fee for residential solid waste because each residential property owner is assessed an annual disposal fee on the County property tax bills. Based upon a study that was conducted, approximately 76% of the solid waste generated by the Town is commercial solid waste, and the remaining 24% is residential solid waste.

The Town charges a solid waste fee for commercial establishments to cover the tipping fees that the Town pays for the disposal of commercial solid waste. The disposal fee assessed to each business is based on the size or type of solid waste container for that business. The disposal fee is intended to reimburse the Town for the commercial tipping fees that are assessed by the County.

The FY 2010-11 Budget eliminates an unstaffed convenience recycling drop-off site and implements residential curbside recycling to better serve our residents and further encourage recycling. The program collects recyclables (paper, plastic, glass and aluminum/steel cans) on a weekly basis, with the Town furnishing the recycling container. Cardboard pick-up is not provided, but rather can be dropped off at the Watauga County Convenience Center located on US 221 or the Aho site.

Within the Town of Blowing Rock, it is mandatory that business participate in the Town's recycling program. The Sanitation Division collects the recyclable materials (cardboard and glass) on a Thursday-only schedule from small volume businesses, and then hauls the recyclable materials to the Watauga County Recycling Center. Large Volume businesses must privately contract for cardboard and glass recycling dispensers.

Staffing

Five employees of the Public Works Department work in this division, one Sanitation Equipment Operator and four Sanitation Collectors. However, employees from the Street Division do perform work as needed within the Sanitation Division.

Water and Sewer Field Operations Division

Please see Water and Wastewater Department for description.