ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
CBS Atlanta News had Tough Questions for city officials Thursday, after some Atlanta homeowners caught city workers dumping trash on private property.
Residents said the city dumped the debris after fixing a broken storm drain on Lucy Street in Northeast Atlanta.
John Michalik lives near the construction site and said he caught city workers red handed.
"My neighbor's property has about 50 pounds of concrete here," Michalik said.
He said a crew with Atlanta's Watershed Management Department illegally dumped waste on his neighbor's property, and he has video to prove it.
"Safety cones, caution tape, wooden stakes, and there's a proper way to dispose of that stuff, and on my neighbor's property isn't where you're supposed to dispose of it," Michalik said.
Michalik caught them in the act with a home surveillance camera. The video shows one of the workers shovel concrete into a wheelbarrow and then wheel it over to the woods to dump.
"The Watershed Department has on its own website a statement that says if you see someone dumping illegally, call this number and it'll give you a reward, and it's their own people doing the dumping. It's sick," Michalik said.
Soon after CBS Atlanta News began investigating, workers returned to the neighborhood to clean up the mess Thursday and even fixed a street sign that was knocked down.
"Were you guys the ones out here?" CBS Atlanta News reporter Adam Murphy asked.
"Yes, it was," a city worker said.
"Why would you guys dump stuff over there on that property?" Murphy asked.
"City property is right here. They have crews come to pick up debris," a city worker said.
"Why not just haul it off with you?" Murphy asked. "You've got room in the truck for cones and for tape and for concrete."
"That's what we're doing now," a city worker said.
"You guys said you did it, but you're saying there's nothing wrong with what you did?" Murphy asked.
"I'm not saying that it's not wrong what we did. If my crew did it illegally, then they're here to clean it up now," a city worker said.
So as crews cleaned up, Atlanta police officers showed up to begin their own investigation into the incident.
"It's totally unacceptable. I wish the city would get their act together, especially the Watershed Department," Michalik said.
Atlanta police officers told CBS Atlanta News they are investigating the incident to determine the next course of action.
Department of Human Resources' statement on allegations of illegal dumping:
"Illegal dumping of materials or trash is unacceptable behavior for any City of Atlanta employee. It is a clear violation of the City Code and the matter has been turned over to the Atlanta Police Department for investigation. The Department of Watershed Management strongly disapproves of the actions shown on the footage and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the involved parties. We thank Mr. Michalik for his effort in providing the information to us."
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