Interview with Ray S. Ellis, September 11, 2006

Partial Transcript: This is Dale Johnson for Eastern Kentucky PRIDE talking to Mr. Ray Ellis, who's the solid waste coordinator and the PRIDE coordinator for Bath County, and today is 9-11-06.

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses his job as PRIDE coordinator and the feedback he's gotten from people around the county.

Keywords: Jobs; PRIDE coordinators; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Solid waste coordinators

Subjects: Boy Scouts; Careers; Children; Employment--Kentucky; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Occupations

Partial Transcript: I can see where, in the past, you've--the county--I've got this little handy-dandy sheet of all the PRIDE money spent in Bath County.

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses the ways in which PRIDE money has been used in Bath County, including tire amnesty and appliance buyback programs.

Keywords: Appliance buybacks; Dump cleanups; Dumps; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Tire amnesty; Transfer stations

Subjects: Bath County (Ky.); Discarded household appliances; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Household appliances; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Tires

Partial Transcript: I don't n--now some counties have, some counties do trash pickups, and some counties there's private companies that, that'll pick up trash and some--

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses the method of garbage collection in the county. Ellis also discusses sewerage in the county and why it was necessary to expand it.

Keywords: Garbage; Garbage collection; Garbage pickup; Morehead (Ky.); Preston (Ky.); Refuse pickup; Salt Lick (Ky.); Sewers; Straight pipes; Trash; Trash collection; Trash pickup; Wastewater treatment

Subjects: Plumbing.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Refuse collection; Septic tanks; Sewage; Sewerage.

Partial Transcript: Um, since you're a new PRIDE coordinator, you've probably had to look, try to find these records and figure out what's been done in the past.

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses his job as solid waste coordinator and the frequent complaints he gets about situations outside of his control.

Keywords: Jobs; PRIDE coordinators; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Solid waste coordinators

Subjects: Careers; Employment--Kentucky; Occupations

Partial Transcript: But you've, um--did you go out yourself and identify some of these other dumps?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses dump cleanups in the county. Ellis also discusses reporting issues with inmates used for cleanups.

Keywords: Creeks; Dumps; Garbage; Illegal dumps; Prisoners; Solid waste; Trash

Subjects: Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Inmates of institutions; Lakes; Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Rivers; Tourism; Voluntarism; Volunteers; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: So what do you think you're gonna have to do to get people to shape up?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses how he plans on getting the county clean, including using county garage workers and continuing to do PRIDE cleanups. Ellis also discusses a couple of people who used to be involved with PRIDE.

Keywords: County garage; Dump cleanups; Dumps; Illegal dumps; PRIDE cleanups; PRIDE coordinators; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE)

Subjects: Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Grants and funding; Meetings; Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Voluntarism; Volunteers; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: Ooh, what do we got here?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis shows Johnson some pictures of dumps that are set to be cleaned up soon. Ellis discusses the plans to get the dumps cleaned up during the fall season.

Keywords: Creeks; Dump cleanups; Dumps; Illegal dumps

Subjects: Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Grants and funding; Pictures; Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: So what, what is your, what is your take on--I mean now that you've got a transfer station, ways for--do you have a place that--for people to take t--just regular trash?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses why people dump even though the county has a transfer station. Ellis also discusses the county's attempts at fighting dumping with surveillance cameras.

Keywords: Garbage; Surveillance cameras; Trash

Subjects: Electronic surveillance; Environmental law.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: What, what, what do you think is gonna have to happen for the future for the--everything to get better as far as this, you know?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses what needs to happen in the future to improve the environment in Bath County. Ellis discusses the importance of enforcement and education, as well as a failed attempt at an environmental education program.

Keywords: Dry counties; Enforcement; Fast food; PRIDE clubs; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE)

Subjects: Beer cans; Children; Education; Environmental education.; Environmental law.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Lakes; Law enforcement; Litter (Trash); Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Roadside litter; Schools

Partial Transcript: What do, what do you, what do you see yourself doing in the next couple years with PRIDE? Probably more cleanups?

Segment Synopsis: Ellis discusses his plans for the next couple of years with PRIDE.

Keywords: Dump cleanups; PRIDE cleanups; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE)

Subjects: Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Lakes; Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Tourism; Waste disposal sites