Christopher transfer station could reopen in Perry County by early June

The shutoff at Perry County’s Christopher transfer station has forced residents into longer disposal trips and workarounds for nearly two months, but county officials now say the site could reopen by early June if the remaining fixes stay on schedule.

The Perry County Garage solid-waste transfer station in the Christopher community was temporarily closed after the county moved to address violations cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Earlier county action tied the closure to needed improvements, including fencing and runoff repairs, making the reopening depend on whether those conditions are corrected rather than on a simple administrative decision.

That matters in Perry County, where the transfer station is more than a convenience stop. In a county with scattered communities and long drives, the site has served as a practical place for households to handle ordinary trash and larger disposal needs. When the station closed March 11, residents had to change routines, travel farther, or use other county dumping options already under the fiscal court’s umbrella.

County records show Perry County maintains a broader dump-site network that includes locations such as the Courthouse Parking Structure, Leatherwood, Family Dollar and Combs. The county also has tried to absorb some of the pressure elsewhere: the Perry County Garage has been open for weekday drop-offs of bulky trash too large for sanitation routes, and residents with proof of paid garbage service can dispose of those items there free of charge.

The transfer station’s troubles have unfolded alongside other solid-waste work at county level. March meeting materials included a recycling update and a planned tire-collection event, while February materials referenced a second amendment to the county’s service contract with Waste Connections. Together, those documents show the county was already managing a larger sanitation picture when the Christopher site was taken offline.

Scott Alexander, the county’s judge-executive, is the top official overseeing fiscal court operations, and county contact information lists the Fiscal Court office at 481 Main Street in Hazard. For residents who have had to absorb the inconvenience of a closed transfer station, an early-June reopening would restore one of Perry County’s key disposal outlets and reduce pressure on the rest of the system. If the repairs stall, the county will keep facing the same basic problem: a rural waste service that ordinary households need, but cannot use until compliance work is finished.