The City of Clemson and Pickens County are going at it again, this time over a proposed penalty to be placed on Clemson and other municipalities if county-established goals for recycling are not met.

Clemson and Pickens County officials don’t have a warm and fuzzy relationship. They are often at odds. Verbal volleys thrown by one group and returned by the other are not uncommon. The latest flare up over recycling goes beyond trash talk, however. There’s money at stake.

City Administrator Rick Cotton said he and other county municipal leaders were surprised to learn last month of the possibility they could face retribution from Pickens County if recycling percentage targets were not met. He said the picture became even muddier when the municipal representatives tried to ascertain what those penalties might be.

Cotton also called into question the amount the county pays Clemson for its recycled waste — $10 per ton — compared to the $76.42 per ton he said it receives when sold.

The administrator is joined in his mistrust of Pickens County by both Clemson Mayor Larry Abernathy and Mayor Pro-Tem Butch Trent, who accused Pickens County of “trying to figure out ways to charge us more without giving us anything.”

When informed that there could be a county rebate for Clemson if it meets the Pickens recycling goal, Abernathy scoffed.

“When Pickens County gives us money, we’ll know that Armageddon is upon us,” he said.

Clearly, there is no shortage of ill will and suspicion among Clemson officials for their Pickens County brethren. The two sides need to get together and talk things out in an attitude of respect and understanding. Too much is at stake for the future of both the city and county for this feud to fester any longer.

We call on officials of Clemson and Pickens County to work out their differences and move forward together toward achieving their mutual goals of serving their residents in an efficient and progressive manner.