Public Works

Public Works Administration

The Public Works Department, Administration Division, is the major support division to the four operational divisions within the department. The administration staff's primary responsibilities include clerical, accounting, contract management, construction management, program and project management, and technical support.  Public Works Administration is responsible for the implementation of the Capital Improvement Plan and all major construction projects.  Contract Management is responsible for the all janitorial and vending contracts.

Facilities Management Division

The Facilities Division is primarily responsible for minor renovations and maintenance of existing County facilities.  The Gaston County Facilities Inventory includes over 1.6 million square feet of buildings and structures.  Required maintenance includes various aspects of plumbing, mechanical, electrical, HVAC, carpentry, keying, and a multitude of incidental work order items.

Print Shop

The Print and Supplies Division is primarily responsible for the in-house printing of various documents / manuals, obtaining competitive pricing quotes for outside printing projects, the metering of outgoing mail, and the distribution of internal mail.

Fleet Services Division

Fleet Services maintains county vehicles and small equipment by performing both routine and preventative maintenance on a scheduled service interval. In addition, computerized records are maintained for parts, labor, and fuel usage for the accurate tracking of cost analysis required for operations and equipment replacement.

Solid Waste & Recycling Division

The Solid Waste & Recycling Division is primarily responsible for the disposal of Municipal Solid Waste generated in the County as required by North Carolina State Law and in accordance with all applicable local regulations. Gaston County currently uses an integrated solid waste management plan consisting of sanitary landfilling, compost/mulch, recycling, and related waste reduction programs.  This integrated plan recovers and processes recyclable materials, thereby decreasing the amount of solid waste being landfilled.  Gaston County's Solid Waste Division receives approximately 1,000 tons of solid waste per day with 60% delivery by private haulers, 10% delivery by private individuals, and the remaining 30% coming from municipalities.  The Gaston County Landfill is located on a 320-acre site on Philadelphia Church Road in the north central portion of the County.  A Yard Waste Facility is also located on-site which processes yard waste into mulch which is offered to residents at a minimal charge.  In addition to the County Landfill, the Solid Waste & Recycling Division operates seven recycling / solid waste drop-off sites to accommodate the rural population.  Also, on a special need basis, the Solid Waste Division provides earthmoving services, snow removal, and grading services to the County Parks and Recreation Department.

Renewable Energy Center

The Gaston County Renewable Energy Center became fully operational in 2011.  It is the mission of the Renewable Energy Center to further integrate solid waste management in Gaston County by harvesting the immense energy potential of the landfill. The facility utilizes landfill gas produced from the landfilling process to produce energy that is sold to the power grid.  The Renewable Energy Center, where 3 GE Jenbacher J 420 engines are running full time, producing power, is designed to accommodate expansion through the addition of a fourth generator.  The landfill gas collection system will be expanded as future MSW landfill cells are developed and more gas becomes available.  The Gaston County Renewable Energy Center also includes a roof-type solar panel array that has the potential to produce 28.5 kW.  The addition of the solar panel array helps off-set the parasitic load of the building and was a unique feature that was attractive when establishing a Power Purchase Agreement.  The County’s landfill gas system also extends to include registering and verification of carbon credits through the Climate Action Reserve (CAR,) which generates an additional revenue stream. 

Courts

A portion of the Public Works Department Budget is used to provide direct support to the state's court system operations as mandated by NC State Law. In addition to the typical facility maintenance requirements, support includes utilities, jury expenses, the purchasing of collateral furnishings / equipment, master space planning, archive records space, and related special programs.