New garbage contract approved, collection date changed to Wednesday
A waste collection agreement with Presque Isle & Cheboygan Sanitation, which is better known as PAC, was presented to members of the Onaway City Commission with the recommendation that the mayor sign the contract.
It was approved, but not without a few questions being raised by commissioners Brad Porter and Mel Perkins about the pick up of broken glass and liquids.
Broken glass and liquids are listed among several items in the contract under the heading ?prohibited collection.? On the broken glass, commissioner Mel Perkins said, ?It says he is not required to take it.?
DURING THE discussion period, commissioners wondered what city residents would do with glass from a broken dish or window. They also are aware of the problems broken glass could bring to PAC workers not knowing sharp objects are in trash bags.
Perkins suggested striking the language regarding broken glass from the list of prohibited items. City manager Joe Hefele will talk to the contractor about the issue.
The rest of the prohibited collection items include: yard waste, cement blocks, shingles, paints, antifreeze, oil, tires, full or partially full paint cans, hazardous wastes, items deemed dangerous to the contractor?s personnel, gasoline, hot ashes, and any item too heavy to be lifted by two average people.
The previous contractor would stop at city hall to inform staff if they did not pick up an item from a customer, so they would be aware of the situation when the calls were placed to city hall.
UNDER THE terms of the contract, the guaranteed rate during the first year, from April 1 through March 30, 2008, for residential pick up will be $8.80. That should drop garbage rates by about a dollar a month.
On the first anniversary date of the agreement, the residential pick-up will be adjusted to reflect the percentage increase in the Consumers? Price Index for urban customers. Any increase will not exceed five percent, contract language stated.
The other significant change from the previous agreement with WM is the collection day, which would be switched from Thursday to Wednesday.
City staff will provide PAC with mailing labels so they can notify customers of the change prior to the first Wednesday in April. The limit is five properly placed and prepared garbage bags or three containers (no greater than 30 gallons), per week.
IN OTHER business:
? The Stepping Stones Garden Club compiled a list of landscaping recommendations for the courthouse grounds, at the commission?s request.
?Historically speaking, the landscaping of that period was open spaces which were used for town gatherings with few plant embellishments,? stated Lee Ann Amyotte, who served on the club?s landscape committee.
The landscaping is very close to being correct, but to stay within the historical landscaping traditions they have made the following recommendations:
1) Irrigation system is key 2) Trim existing trees and shrubs 3) Remove the eagle 4) Remove the support our troops sign 5) Remove or fix cement foundation around canon 6) Remove spruce tree and replace with a historical tree 7) Improve signage
The recommenda
Perkins was surprised to see that the removal of the Moran Iron Works eagle was on the list. ?Why the eagle?? he said.
Some club members, who were attending the meeting, said the courthouse is the focal point of the courthouse grounds.
? A new policy for the use of the courtroom was adopted. ?I would like to see the courthouse used as much as possible, but I think we need someone here if it is to be used in the evening or on a weekend,? said Hefele.
The DNR is interested in conducting a public meeting at the courthouse in April. ?We should have someone here for that, and others like it, for security reasons,? said Hefele. The rate would be $25 per hour. At present, 50 people can congregate on the main floor.