While many scrap recyclers face heated opposition when they look to operate a facility in many communities, Morris Brothers Metals, a Morris Recycling Inc., company headquartered in Mississippi, has been able to move the initial trepidation by community leaders from concern and opposition to their location to strong support.
Ben Morris, with Morris Brothers noted that when the company realized its Kosciusko, Miss., facility was too small and the company looked to find another location to be used as a feeder yard, they selected a brownfield site in the city. While residents first opposed the Morris’ relocation, through hard work and understanding the importance of cooperating with the community the company has been able to change the minds of these same residents.
The result was that the company recently was recognized with a Community Improvement Award by the city for improving the neighborhood in which they moved. Even more impressive is the fact that citizens of the community in which Morris Brothers operated, many of whom were originally opposed to Morris Brothers locating a scrap yard in their neighborhood, were the ones nominating the comapny.
The company was able to move many of the people to support the company after initially opposing the facility by working very closely with the community at large.
“We engaged the community in designing the facility,” says Morris. The company put in a stormwater draining system, improved the fencing, and invested in improving the overall landscaping surrounding the facility.
These steps, some large, some small, sent a signal to the community at large that Morris Brothers was intent on not just operating in the community, but also being a part of the community.
While many of these steps caused the relocation to go over budget, Morris notes that the effort to work with the community at large has allowed the company to burn a potentially adversarial approach to receptive allies.
As Morris adds, "With good people, and the right attitude, it is possible."