We’re glad to see the Pike County Commissioners stepping up to finally address the litter problem plaguing county roadways.

Residents and taxpayers have long complained about litter and trash along our county roadways, and rightly so. The garbage and trash along roadways is a poor reflection on our county, no matter who is responsible for putting it there.

Commissioners said this week they plan to begin using work release inmates from nearby correctional facilities (following the program utilized by the City of Troy) to pick up the trash. While the program is costly – up to $18,000 a year to have four inmates working throughout the year, and the expense of a full-time county employee to supervise – it’s actually an investment in our community.

Residents and taxpayers deserve clean and accessible roadways. We, as a county, need to put our best foot forward to visitors, whether travellers passing through or potential residents or businesses looking for a new home. And commissioners need be good stewards of our county’s funds, putting them to work in ways that benefit the residents. This is a good example of spending money where it’s needed.