Holts Summit tables final decision on trash bill for third time

City Administrator: current process for dealing with trash problem "not working'

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City leaders first started talking about ways to slow the litter and illegal dumping in town last October. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, the Holts Summit Board of Aldermen again tabled a final decision on Allied Waste Service's proposal regarding trash pickup in the city.

Holts Summit has used Allied Waste since the 1990s, but has not required residents to have trash service. The city reached out to Allied for potential solutions to its trash problem.

Resident Tom Halfen said he would like to have more choice in his trash service. If he wants to go to a neighbor and share a trash can and split the cost of trash service, he wants to have the ability to do so. Instead of mandating trash service, Halfen said the city should enforce existing codes to take care of the city's trash problem.

"If we just enforce the ordinances we have, that might work better," Halfen said Tuesday night. "(Then) just put this idea off for a year."

City Administrator Brian Crane said the city does enforce its current codes, but that doing so hasn't been enough when it comes to the city's litter and illegal dumping problem.

"We currently do that. That's currently our process and it's not working," Crane said in response to visitors' comments Tuesday night. "I tell you, it's not working."

The bill on the board's table currently requires residential trash service, 95-gallon carts for residential service, an optional recycling program, a 3 percent annual increase for customers and a five year term with Allied.

Hotls Summit, unlike several cities surrounding it, does not require residents to have trash service. During the board's Tuesday night meeting, Crane pointed out multiple other cities that have mandatory trash service and city billing. The list included St. Martins, Linn, Vienna, New Bloomfield and Tipton.

About 1,200 residents in Holts Summit have trash service, while between 300 and 400 do not. The proposal before the board would decrease the cost of trash service, for residents who currently have it, by 3 percent. The board of aldermen is hoping that requiring trash service will help decrease the city's litter and illegal dumping problem. Crane said the city spends a great deal of time issuing tickets for illegal dumping and cleaning up the mess.

"I really can't understand what 400 people inside the city of Holts Summit do with their trash," Crane said. "We hope that if someone is mandated to have trash service, they'll use it."

He added that he knows not 100 percent will properly use their trash service even if it is mandated they have it. But, he said nothing can solve the trash problem 100 percent.

Roger Alberts, Holts Summit resident of 50 years, attended Tuesday night's meeting and said he would like to see more people at the meeting, commenting on the city's trash issue and Allied's proposal. The city has kept Allied's proposal on the table since this summer for that reason - to solicit more resident feedback. The city held a public hearing on the proposed contract in August and has discussed new information related to the proposal at its meetings since.

Alberts uses Allied and described them as a good company. However, he told the board Tuesday night that he doesn't think the city should mandate everyone to have trash service from Allied.

"We are asking people to take something on here and have one company do it all,"Alberts said Tuesday night.

He said residents should not be forced to do business with just one company and should be given the option to choose who handles their trash service.

"I think that's the democratic way," Alberts said.

Alberts also asked the board if it would be possible to take the decision to sign or not sign Allied's proposed contract to a vote of the people. Crane said the citizens vote for the board of aldermen members and the board is there to make the decision that is in the best interest of the citizens who elected them.

Alberts suggested the city make the penalty for littering and illegal dumping more severe.

"We've got to quit slapping people on the wrist and saying don't do that," Alberts told the board Tuesday night.

Halfen suggested the city change the proposal to allow a three year contract instead of a five year one. He also suggested that the city use the consumer price index (CPI) to determine rate increases instead of agreeing to an automatic 3 percent annual price increase for customers. Crane said that when the city looked at the CPI, the rate increase was closer to 4.5 percent.

Alberts also said he worried that requiring trash service would add a financial burden to some who can't afford it. City Attorney Kent Brown said the city can always choose to require trash service and also create avenues to help those who can not financially afford to pay for trash service. Board member Landon Oxley echoed that Allied's proposal is a potential solution to the city's trash problem.

"We have to do something," Oxley said.