DALLAS — Nearly eight months after a judge ordered what’s been dubbed “shingle mountain” to be removed, the pile of recycled shingles continues to tower over Marsha Jackson’s southeast Dallas home.
“It’s really hurtful for them to say they trying and trying,” Jackson said. “Look, this has been going on since January.”
In court Friday, the City of Dallas got a judge to hold the now-defunct Blue Star Recycling in contempt and imposed a daily fine of $500 for every violation found on the property.
Assistant City Attorney Jayla Wilkerson said it doesn’t appear the company exists anymore, so the responsibility to clean the environmental hazard falls on the owners of two parcels of land the business once operated on.
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One owner, Almira Industrial and Trading, Corp, said Friday it removed a large number of shingles from its property this week.
However, an overwhelming majority of shingle mountain sits on property owned by CCR Equity Holdings One, LLC. An attorney for that company told Slaughter it’s client, as of now, has been unsuccessful trying to find a way to remove the shingles.
Dallas County 191st district judge Gena Slaughter ordered mediation between CCR and the city of Dallas to figure out a plan to get it removed.
And then acknowledged the obvious to Jackson, sitting in the courtroom.
“I know you’re frustrated ma’am,” Slaughter said. “And all I can tell you is I do believe the parties that are all here are trying.”
So Jackson went home again Friday to a mountain she can’t move and no confidence anyone will soon.
“It’s so easy for people to say they’re sorry and they understand what we’re going through,” Jackson said. “No, they don’t understand what we’re going through – not when you’re going to the doctor every other week.”
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