Council approves new commercial dumpster pick-up

     Come next spring, the City of Monticello will push for new garbage dumpsters at all commercial pick-up locations.

     During the Dec. 18 city council meeting, the council voted 5-1, with Council member Rob Paulson opposed, to approve an extended commercial garbage pick up contract with Republic Services in Peosta.

     As part of the contract, which is now extended through Dec. 31, 2024, all commercial dumpsters will be changed to front-load dumpsters, free of charge.

     City Administrator Doug Herman remarked that many of the dumpsters throughout the city are in rough shape and/or out of code.

     “A lot of the dumpsters barely have bottoms in them,” commented Council member Dave Goedken.

     Also as part of the new contract with Republic, there will be a 3 percent increase per year for the cost per yard.

     Council member Brian Wolken asked whether Republic would replace all of the dumpsters for a business that utilized multiple dumpsters. Matt Pivit with Republic said they would provide whatever the business needed. He also suggested providing the business with larger dumpsters for waste if they wanted to get away from multiple smaller dumpsters.

     “That would reduce the costs for the business,” said Pivit.

     Herman said the city and Republic would also work with the businesses to dispose of and remove their old dumpsters.

     Herman said since this issue was discussed at the previous council meeting on Dec. 4, no comments had been received at City Hall.

     “Front-load is the way things are going,” said Pivit of the commercial garbage industry. “From a safety standpoint, it’s safer for our drivers. We don’t run a lot of read-load trucks anymore.”

     Goedken said with Republic providing the new dumpster at no cost, “it sounds like a super deal.”

     Pivit commented, “We’d rather give everybody a new dumpster versus repair the old ones.”

     With Republic needing to submit quite a large order to their supplier for new front-load dumpsters, Pivit said the change would likely take effect late February or early March.

     “It’ll take a few months to get the dumpsters,” he informed the council.

In other city business

     • All residential garbage route pick up for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be done on Wednesday, Dec. 27 and Wednesday, Jan. 3. There will not be garbage pick up on Monday and Tuesday of those weeks.

     • The council tabled a decision to invest $2,000 in the Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition. The council felt they needed more information in-person from a representative of the Coalition in terms of what the funding would specifically be used for.

     The Coalition is requesting funding from every city as well as the county to help sustain the organization. In September 2018, the Coalition’s primary source of funding will come to an end.

     • The council approved a $125 credit against Henry Bemrose. According to correspondence with the Strittmatter Law Firm, Bemrose turned his shower on and then passed away. His water ran for a week before he was found.

     • The Council approved the fourth pay request with retainage in the amount of $4,562.28 to B&J Hauling & Excavating related to site work for the new ten-T hangar at the airport.

     According to the city engineer, the PCC flooring has been placed for the project. The hangar building and materials will be delivered mid-January, and erected in January and February. Construction will likely go into the spring of 2018.

     • The council gave Public Works Director Brant LaGrange discretion in repairs needed for the city’s street sweeper. Repairs that are currently underway amount to $4,229.30. Additional repairs identified could total $10,310.60.

     They city’s street sweeper is 10 years old, with little miles incurred.