Spring Hill BOMA swears in new judge, city to replace old trash containers

Spring Hill has a new city municipal judge after the Board of Mayor and Aldermen swore in Nichole Dusché on Monday night.

Dusché took her oath of office after receiving the majority vote last month from aldermen. She takes the place of former city judge Deana Hood, who had served in the position since 2018. Hood won the May 3 primary for state Circuit Court.

As the city municipal judge, the role will mostly oversee minor traffic and code violations.

A Thompson's Station resident, Dusché said what attracted her to working in Spring Hill is its growing number of businesses, as well as residents.

Related:Candidates reviewed for Spring Hill municipal judge, city honors Judge Hood after serving 4 years

Previously:Spring Hill city board tackles water capacity expansions, 15-acre reservoir proposed

"I'm in Spring Hill almost every day. It's a great city with great people," Dusché said during BOMA's Aug. 16 special called meeting, where board members conducted her interview.

"It's important to be a part of that because I don't have the opportunity where I live ... and I think I share a lot of the same values that this town has when it comes to the city, and I want to be part of that."

Dusché's previous experience includes working as Assistant District Attorney for the 21st Judicial District from 2011-2017. Over the last five years, she has worked in private practice as an attorney.

When interviewing for the position, she said what she believes made her stand out among the other candidates was her experience both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney.

"That gives me a very unique perspective, especially when it comes to impartiality," Dusché said. "I have a commitment to helping people in general, and I think that's a big portion of why I became a lawyer in the first place."

City considers new automated trash pick-up program

Earlier this month, the city announced plans to create a new trash program, which could include providing new bins for residents and an automated pickup system.

Throughout the month, the city's Waste Management Department has been issuing new waste carts, which residents are encouraged to begin using once they receive them. Once all of the new carts are issued, the city will cease the use of resident-owned containers.

Monday's BOMA meeting included a discussion regarding how the city plans to collect the old containers, including cost and disposal.

Public Works Director Tyler Scroggins said the city's contractor, Waste Haulers of Pulaski, will ultimately retrieve the old containers after the city initially collects them from residents. The cost for picking up the containers, Scroggins said, is estimated at around $15,000, and would primarily fund the use of trailers to haul them off.

"If we do choose to do this, the day we run grass pickup routes will be the day we pick up your trash can, instead of it being just a mass call-in to pick them up," Scroggins said. "We also ask the citizens to put something on the can that identifies to the city to pick it up."

Waste Management, Scroggins added, would not contribute to the old can pickups. This, he said, is partly based on the fact the old cans are not recyclable.

Alderman Hazel Nieves said she believes Waste Management should partner with the city on this project when it comes to the cost and disposal of the old cans.

"I don't see why they can't go pick them up, but now that they say they can't dispose of them, I don't think it should be entirely the responsibility of the city," Nieves said. "They said they would help with the solution, and I think they should do so."

Vice Mayor Kevin Gavigan, along with several other aldermen and Mayor Jim Hagamen, agreed with Nieves that the city should request assistance from Waste Management.

"The actions of this city has made their operations a lot smoother, and yet they still continue to raise the prices on us over the last several years," Gavigan said. "We agreed to do this, and so it would be good on their end to show a little bit of the community support that they preach to us."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: BOMA swears in new judge, city to replace old trash containers