Taking care of trashy business

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Carver Street, two block east of Lamesa Road, sits the headquarters of one of Midland's most important services—garbage collection, disposal and recycling. Morris Williams, Jr., quietly and unassumingly directs his important operation. Williams, Director of Solid Waste for the City of Midland, says, "We pick it up and get rid of it. In other words, we are the City's garbage collection and disposal service."

Williams, a 2002 graduate of Midland College, has been taking care of Midland's trash for 11 years. During that time, Williams' career has progressed from driving a garbage truck, to being a supervisor and superintendent in the Solid Waste Department, and now directing all aspects of the city's solid waste disposal system. Not only does he oversee garbage collection and recycling, but he is also in charge of the city's landfill. Williams credits his education as a big reason for his career's upward mobility.

"I wasn't always so dedicated to education," states Williams. "In fact, I didn't even graduate from high school. I thought I was too 'cool' and already knew everything, so there was no need for me to continue. Then, in 1994, a buddy of mine was taking the GED classes at Midland College, so I thought I'd tag along. I took a couple of GED classes and decided to take the GED test for the heck of it. I passed the test and did well enough to receive a scholarship to MC! So, in 1995, I started taking classes at MC, but I still wasn't really serious about getting an education. It wasn't until 1999 that I got really serious about my education, and my family is a big part of why I decided to go back to school."

Williams and his wife, Mary, have five children—three girls and two boys—ranging in age from 6 to 16. Willaims affectionately refers to his family as the "Williams Clan." He says, "It's not just my wife and children who have been so supportive. My two grandmothers, Willie Halliburton and Elnora Robinson, have also supported my education. My grandmothers are in their 70s, and they have really pushed me to continue my education."

Morris Williams certainly has continued his education. After graduating from Midland College in 2002, he enrolled in Lubbock Christian University, and in 2004 received a bachelor's degree in Organizational Management. But, Williams didn't stop there—now he is just one class away from completing his MBA at The University of Texas at the Permian Basin!

"Continuing my education has been a personal challenge for me," says the 37-year-old Midland native. "When I was young, I didn't value education as much as I do now. I encourage my employees to get an education, too. The City has a great tuition reimbursement program, and I am a HUGE advocate of Midland College. I tell people, 'you are never too old to get an education.' I realized that as I was standing in line during my GED graduation ceremony. I was standing next to a lady that I didn't know but she must have been at least 50. I still think about that lady and realize that education is priceless, no matter what your age."

Williams also impresses upon his family the value of an education. "There's not even a question as to whether or not my children will go to college. They will definitely go to college; and if I have my way, it will be Midland College! Cheante, my 16-year-old daughter, says she wants to be a lawyer or a pediatrician. I tell her, 'that's great—you can begin at MC.'"

"During my educational experiences, I have come to realize that Midland College is very well-respected," continues Williams. "When you have an associate degree from MC, it means a lot to four-year universities."

But it is not just MC's reputation that makes Williams a community cheerleader for the College. "My experience at Midland College was a great one," he says. "Everyone at MC—faculty, counselors, the people in the Financial Aid Office—were always right there to assist me. I always felt like no matter what question I had, it wasn't a dumb one, and my questions always got answered and my need addressed."

One of Mr. Williams' most memorable classes at MC was English with William Feeler. "Mr. Feeler made me believe in  myself and made me realize that I could go for my dreams. He even wrote a letter of recommendation for me when I applied for a supervisor's position."

As Morris Williams looks out over his fleet of garbage trucks on Midland's South Side and reflects on how he came to be Midland's "chief of garbage," he states, "It's definitely not a glamorous job, but it's a vital one. I really don't like for people to think about garbage. In fact, if they don't, that means I'm doing my job—getting rid of garbage, so people don't have to think about it."

Thank you, Mr. Williams, for taking care of something that no one wants to think about!