Staff writer
Hank Yoder of Stutzman Refuse Disposal presented information Monday evening about a single stream recycling service.
“We are pleased to be able to provide this service to your community,” Yoder said. “We have put it in place in several other towns and it is working well.”
The company will provide polycarts — large, plastic trash recepticles — to residents who recycle. A notice will be included in the next city water bill encouraging citizens to sign up for the program.
There will be no additional charge for participation. All residents of Peabody now pay a recycling fee whether they use the service or not. That fee will remain the same. Households that do use the recycling service will receive the new polycarts in the next couple of weeks. Stutzman hopes to begin picking up the new carts Jan. 21.
“Once your citizens get the carts, they will no longer have to use clear bags or boxes or their own containers,” Yoder said. “Everything will go into the same container. There will be no need to separate any of the recyclable items.
“In fact, we will be able to accept more plastic with this plan,” Yoder said. “Instead of just accepting plastic with the numbers one or two on the bottom, we will be adding plastics with numbers up to seven so there will be less of those items headed for the landfill.”
The council unanimously approved the Stutzman plan and agreed to have the city contact all residents through the January 1 water bill mailing.
In other business:
- Jim Rippe brought to the council’s attention an announcement from the Newton Kansan about a wind generator factory being built at Newton that will eventually employ 400 people. He suggested the council position the community to attract some of the new workers.
- Greg Harrison, Chris Beets, and Bill Heaton of Allegiance Communications presented changes in Allegiance personnel and issues with the service the company provides to the city. All council members either had service problems themselves or had heard from citizens with complaints. Allegiance is seeking renewal of its franchise agreement with the city. No action was taken by the council, but the two groups agreed to remain in touch and try to work out the issues.
- A donation of five, $10 Peabody Bucks to the HUB were approved for a New Year’s Eve celebration.
- City Clerk Stephanie Ax and Police Chief Bruce Burke were allowed to roll over unused vacation days from 2009. Ax will carry three vacation days into 2010 and Burke will carry nine.
- City Administrator Mac Manning reviewed the city’s health insurance coverage, cost of living increases, and market adjustments with the council in preparation for taking action on these issues at the next meeting.
- Council members went into executive session to discuss personnel for 20 minutes. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
- Two training requests for Burke were approved. He will attend sessions covering asset forfeiture and possible changes in search and seizure laws.
- A proposal by Burke was discussed to create a no loitering ordinance to help control some of the problems created downtown when young people are there just “hanging out.” After discussion, council members indicated a reluctance to pursue the creation of a loitering ordinance. Instead they asked Burke to encourage his officers to continue maintaining a presence wherever young people are congregating.
- Tammy Whiteside gave a progress report on several nuisance properties.
- Councilmember Pam Lamborn asked for a review of the Intangibles Tax Peabody residents pay on savings plans. Mayor Larry Larsen instructed Manning to research the history of the tax, how much it generates, and what procedure would be required to remove it.
- Manning told the council he would be sending a letter to Brock Baker about access to his buildings for water meter reading. Manning will also address with Baker the issue of restoring fire walls between the buildings. The walls were opened to allow passage between furniture showrooms. They now need to be replaced.
- Manning will also send a letter to the HUB asking them to move the vending machine they rent or anchor it to the Sunflower building. Manning said it had come to his attention that children are climbing on the machine at the HUB. He acquired information about young people being killed when vending machines fell on them.
- Larsen expressed his appreciation for the Peabody Economic Development committee and the work the members have done in 2009.