Staff writer
Stutzman Refuse Service Manager, Hank Yoder, was present at the Peabody City Council meeting Monday night to hear concerns from the mayor and council about SRS trash trucks and the deteriorating condition of city streets.
The trash trucks pull close to curbs or edge of streets to pick up trash containers. Doing this repeatedly, the weight of the trucks breakdown the asphalt at the edge of the street, allowing water to infiltrate and further breakdown the surface.
After discussion, Yoder told council members that sending a smaller truck to pick-up trash would not necessarily solve the problem.
“A smaller truck will still impact the streets,” he said. “Plus the driver will need to make more trips to the transfer station and that will increase the cost of pickups. That cost will be passed on to the customers.”
Yoder said that Stutzman would certainly be willing to try some measures to lessen the impact of the heavy trucks on the street.
“We have alternative plans in operation in Walton and Burrton,” he said. “We want to work with you on this.”
Yoder said that if residents place carts against curbs, the truck could stay in the center of the street, stretch the pickup arm out to its full eight feet, and get the cart without pulling over to the curb and breaking down the asphalt.
“On streets with no curbs, residents would have to get the carts out to the edge of the streets,” he said.
The council took no official action, but will review the suggestions and make its decision known to Peabody residents.
Shane Marler, director of Peabody Economic Development, presented a recommendation regarding the former city shop building. Economic development committee members have had several inquiries about the city’s plans for the building. It is their recommendation that the city accept sealed bids.
“If you can sell it, you will put another business in place and that could mean sales tax revenue,” Marler said. “Also, the building will be on the tax rolls for the first time in years and that is a new stream of revenue for the city.”
Marler said it was not necessarily in the community’s best interest to sell the building to the highest bidder.
“Eco devo (economic development) feels you should consider the business plan of the bidder and the use of the building. You should retain a ‘first right of refusal policy’ so that you have the option to buy it back if the new business fails within a given time frame,” he said.
On a motion by Councilman Tom Schmidt, council members agreed unanimously to have city administrator Mac Manning put together a bid proposal for the purpose of selling the building at 105 E. Second Street. The proposal will be reviewed at the next meeting.
In other business:
- John Bloomer will be allowed to drive his horseless carriage on Peabody streets under the regulations that apply to using golf carts as alternative transportation means.
- A $500 donation will be made to Communities in Schools.
- Peabody-Burns cheer squad has been invited to cheer at a Capitol One Bowl game in Florida when bowl game schedules are confirmed. USD 398 will pay for a male and a female sponsor to attend, provide a vehicle for transportation, and pay for fuel. The 12 students on the squad will be responsible for raising $800 a student to attend.
- Health and Safety Officer Tammy Whiteside was instructed to begin logging names and addresses of property owners who have tree limbs hanging lower than 16 feet above the street adjacent to their property or eight feet above a sidewalk that traverses their property. The council indicated that it is the owner’s responsibility to keep the trees trimmed to heights noted in the city ordinance.
- Manning will meet with a representative of Union Pacific Railroad Tuesday afternoon about damage to Plum Street and other areas that occurred when railroad crews were working on the tracks and crossing more than a year ago.
- A letter was received from Myrna Wood with a brief history of her father’s participation in the creation of the former barrel sign that was used for community announcements and events. She asked if the city would donate it to the American Legion. Manning reminded council members they had donated it to the school district at a previous council meeting.
- A local softball team will be allowed to host an all-night softball tournament Aug. 1 and 2 at city park. Kendall Winter made the request.
- A street repair plan developed two years ago was reviewed by Schmidt. Some of the repair work will depend on funds received from Union Pacific Railroad to close the Seventh Street crossing and any compensation for the damage done to Plum Street during track repair.