HIGHFILL - Residential trash service will be contracted through the town of Highfill, beginning in January, but some residents are hoping to take advantage of the new service and related cost savings immediately.
With three council members present on Nov. 16 - Sandy Evans, Toby Lester and Michelle Rieff - the council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a trash contract with Roll Off Service Inc., of Lowell, to provide residential trash service to residents of the town for $8.99 per week.
Only one bid was received for the town’s trash service, but Highfill Mayor Chris Holland said he was pleased with the bid because it offers a very reasonable rate at a time whenmany companies are raising their fees.
Following an open hearing on the trash service contract with no comments made for or against it, the measure was brought to the council during its regular meeting. Evans voted against the resolution because she wanted to wait until all the council members were present, she said. Holland voted in favor of the measure to make a majority so that the service could be implemented by the beginning of the year.
“I don’t think we will have a full council the rest of the year,” Holland said, “and lots of residents are wanting to have this service immediately,” he said.
Council members Keven Varner and Richard Boles lost their bid for re-election and were not present at the Nov. 16 meeting.
In addition to the $8.99 per week charge for residentialsolid waste collection - up to four bags per week - and curb-side recycling service offered by Roll Off, 2-yard dumpsters will be available for lease under the town’s contract for $47 per month.
A reduced-rate yellow-bag program is also available for senior citizens and handicapped residents for $1.50 per bag. The bags will be available for purchase at the town hall and may be used as often as needed in lieu of the $8.99 per week plan.
As an additional benefit for the town, municipal facilities’ waste will be picked up at no charge.
Residents will be billed for their trash service through the city.
The town’s contract with Roll Off will be for three years and begin on Jan. 1, 2011.
Rieff asked that Roll Off cover the costs of mailing out notification to all the town’s residents about the new service.
Residents who wish to be served by Roll Off prior to that may contact Roll Off directly to inquire about service prior to the municipal contract.
Compression brakes
An ordinance restricting the use of truck compression brakes which had come before the council for a first and second reading failed to be passed on its third reading at the Nov. 16 town council meeting.
A motion was made by Evans to adopt the ordinance on its third and final reading, but neither Lester nor Rieff offered a second to the motion, allowing it to die on the floor.
Adopted municipal code
An ordinance adopting the town of Highfill’s municipal code of ordinances passed with the vote of all three council members present on its third and final reading, and with an emergency clause attached, putting it into effect.
Holland said the town was already using the code and, last week, urged its passage.
Posting ordinances
An ordinance amending the places where city ordinances are posted for public notice was read by title only, with rules suspended, on its second reading. It will be brought back for a third reading and adoption in December.
The locations for postings in the proposed ordinance are the Highfill Town Hall, Highfill Community Building, Highfill Volunteer Fire Department, Highfill Park and Village Market & Grill Inc.
Other actions
Two resolutions were passed by the council, accepting the resignation of Frank Holzkamper from the boards of directors and appointing James “Butch” Wiand to fill the vacant board posts on the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority and the Benton-Washington Regional Public Water Authority.
Holzkamper resigned his position as the head of the city’s water and sewer departments to take a position with NACA, Holland said. Wiand will be taking over as head of the two departments once he obtains the necessary certifications, according to Holland.
An ordinance to adopt a new city budget was tabled until the December meeting to allow council members an opportunity to review it before taking any action.
The proposed budget is “cut to the bare bones,” Holland said, with everything categorized for the council to see and review.
Highfill Fire Marshal Rob Holland reported getting three price quotes on storm sirens for the town to purchase with $78,000 in GIF grant money received from the state.
He reported that the best price for three sirens, approved for use by the National Weather Service, was $67,500 installed. The only cost to the city would be the siren’s placement and power to operate them, he said. The council approved the purchase.
The sirens will be purchased from an Oklahoma company, with service available from a company in Joplin, Mo., Holland said. The sirens are omnidirectional rather than rotating and produce a 130decibel tone at 100 feet.
The town of Highfill received a $3,500 check from Arkansas Representative Mary Slinkard and Arkansas Senator Kim Hendren in April. The money is from the state’s General Improvement Funded Community Enhancement Grant Program. The town recently received a second check through the efforts of Hendren and Slinkard in the amount of $43,000 from the same program, making a total of $78,000 available for the purchase of three sirens.
“We want to try to cover the biggest part of the populated area,” Holland said, suggesting one siren may be placed near the Highfill Fire Station, another along Arkansas Highway 12 near Mason Valley, and a third near the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport along or close to ArkansasHighway 264.
Additional grant funding will be sought to place another three warning sirens at other locations in the town as soon as possible, Holland said.
News, Pages 1 on 11/24/2010