Jay Fergusonjay@deepcreekvacations.com301-501-0420
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GC Commissioners Approve Recycling Plan Amendments

Mar. 7, 2013

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The Garrett County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved three amendments to the county’s 10-year Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan (2004–2014). As required by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the new regulations pertain to methods for recycling in public schools, recycling light bulbs, and recycling electronics.

Manager Dave Baker, Garrett County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling, noted that though the amendments are new state requirements, his department has already implemented them.

“They’ve been up and running for some time,” Baker said.

Kim Madigan noted that one of her first jobs as recycling coordinator for Garrett County was to start a school program.

“We’ve been recycling since 2005 in our schools,” she said.

Working in conjunction with school and board of education personnel, Madigan said it took her a little over a year to get the initiative up and running. She described the end result as “excellent.”

“I’m very proud of that program,” Madigan said.

The 10-year plan calls for Garrett County schools to collect, but are not limited to collecting, #1 and #2 plastics, cardboard, mixed paper, tin cans, aluminum cans, magazines, and newspaper. The Board of Education is responsible for picking up the materials biweekly from each school.

Garrett College is also required to collect office paper, #1 plastics, aluminum cans, toner cartridges, light bulbs, motor oil, tires, and batteries.

Madigan said her department also came up with a strategy to collect fluorescent light bulbs (4-inch lamps, 8-inch lamps, and U-tubes), compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), and non PCB ballasts for recycling. That program has been in place since May 2010.

Currently the program is limited to individuals (Garrett County residents), not businesses. In addition, because of potential mercury exposure, bulbs (unbroken) are only accepted at the county landfill. The bulbs must be given to a landfill employee, who then places them in a properly ventilated 10-foot by 10-foot shed. The materials are stored in the MDE approved shed until they are ready for shipment to a recycling contractor for processing and recycling.

In the event of bulb breakage, landfill staff must contact MDE and follow guidelines set forth in the Mercury Spill Emergency Response Manual.

Baker indicated that it is currently cost prohibitive for the county to construct bulb collection sheds at all of the county’s refuse collection sites.

The county has also been accepting electronics for recycling for several years. This initiative started as a pilot program through a grant from MDE. Madigan noted that electronics are accepted at four of the county’s refuse collection/recycling sites.

More information about recycling in Garrett County is available at garrettcounty.org or by calling Madigan at 301-387-0322.

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Jay Ferguson

Who I Am My name is Jay Ferguson, and I am a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek Lake area. I am also co-owner of the real estate side of Taylor Made. I have been in the real estate business for 21+ years now and I LOVE what I do! I have to say, my career really took off when I co-founded the real estate side of Taylor Made in 2014. Its been an amazing experience, building a real estate company from the ground up and achieving so much so quickly! In August 2016, we purchased Long & Foster Real Estate Deep Creek, where I had started my career in 2000. In 2018, we on-boarded virtually every agent from Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty as they closed up shop and the real estate family grew even more! We now have over 40 sales agents and have expanded to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well. Taylor Made is the #1 vacation rental company at Deep Creek with over 475 vacation rental homes, and over one hundred thousand yearly visitors. Its amazing what we have accomplished using the principles of honesty, teamwork and customer service! Personally, my wife Jessica and I enjoy traveling and especially spending time in the outdoors, hiking and exploring the many diverse areas that Garrett County is naturally blessed with. We have raised two wonderful children here, Kayleah (22) and Noah (13). In the summer, we love spending time on the water with friends & family and enjoying the lake life! We are both active in our church, our community & local school activities, and we fill our schedule with plenty of volunteer efforts. I currently serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud to say that I was named Deep Creek Time’s Favorite ‘Community Champion’ in 2019. I was also named Garrett County Realtor of the Year in 2018-19, as well. I really enjoy promoting my hometown. I am very proud of the resort area that has developed over my lifetime and look forward to growing the area even more! Deep Creek Lake has been described as ‘The Lake Tahoe of the east', and I think that speaks volumes about the potential to own property here! Deep Creek Lake isn't really a town or city by itself; it's comprised of three towns: Oakland, Swanton & McHenry, Maryland. I am very passionate about my hometown and am impressed with how many people know about it as we travel around the country. Deep Creek Lake is an amazing place to visit and even better place to live! During the pandemic in 2020, our market exploded and more and more people left their primary residence in the city to live here permanently. With distance learning in schools and tele-commuting becoming the ‘norm’, many more people were drawn to the area to ‘live where they love to play’. Why You Want Me Working for You: In addition to being an owner, I am consistently one of the top-producing agents in the entire area and the Associate Broker of record for Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I have 21+ years of experience and I am a problem solver. There aren’t many situations that I have not encountered and I have a strategy for almost every scenario that you may encounter. I have extensively trained in all areas of real estate & emerging technologies, and also have trained as an appraiser, as well as served as a full-time Broker. I have a strong knowledge of the industry, as well as many trusted local contacts & affiliations that allow me to perform at a very high level and deliver results. I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have strong working relationships that I would love to put to work for you. Call me to discuss your situation - I know I can be of great service to you & others you care about! Honesty. Integrity. Results.