City advertises for trash pick up bids

by Angie Asam Staff Writer

The City of Onaway will be advertising for bids for residential trash collection from now through Jan. 9, 2013 when the bids will be opened and read aloud. City manager Joe Hefele plans to advertise for bids in the Onaway Outlook, Alpena News and Cheboygan Tribune and provide a cover letter to all potential bidders indicating that the city may choose to reject all bids and provide the service itself.

“My thought is that we need to move on this if there is any thought that we may provide the service ourselves, as doing so would require the purchase and outfitting of a truck and the hire of another part-time person,” said Hefele.

The only way the city would provide the service is if they can do so at the same cost as contracting the service out.

IN OTHER CITY COMMISSION NEWS:

• The board adopted a resolution opting out of the requirements of Public Act 152 for the 2013 calendar year. The act deals with paying for employees’ health care benefits and if it is not included in the resolution book the city can lose revenue sharing dollars.

• Angie Krajniak was reappointed to the Onaway downtown development authority for a new four-year term to begin on Jan. 1, 2013. Denise Parrott asked not to be reappointed to the board, leaving a vacancy that will be filled in the future.

• Dave Cook and Mel Perkins were both reappointed to the planning commission board for new three-year terms beginning Feb. 1, 2013.

• The city will hold its first 2013-14 budget and planning workshop Jan. 9, 2013 at 9 a.m. Hefele told the board that he didn’t believe he would have the

first draft of the budget done by then but didn’t think it would matter. “As I don’t expect property tax dollars, revenue sharing dollars or gas tax dollars to increase much, and I don’t see any of our expenses dropping dramatically, I think the budget will look much the same as the 2012-13 version,” said Hefele. He then reminded the board that in that budget was no money for street improvements and no money for water system improvements as the street and water funds are being used to bailout a large general fund deficit. “As I told you last year, I do not believe we can continue to operate this way.

“At some point, we are going to have to invest in our roads unless we are planning to let some go back to gravel,” said Hefele. The city will begin the process on Jan. 9.