Opp hears garbage proposal
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 16, 2014
A reintroduction of waste collection services means more trash talk for the Opp City Council.
Council members heard from Heath Sadler, representative of Mark Dunning Industries (MDI), about revisiting a proposal to contract Opp’s waste disposal.
“What we’re asking is for reconsideration of the total proposal,” Sadler said. “It’s a fantastic deal.”
It was suggested the City of Opp charges $15 per month, per container, MDI would charge the city $8.40 per, month per container.
If the city of Opp elected to charge the $15 fee, they could potentially make more than $20,000 per month in revenue.
“It’s a gamble for us that at the end of the three years you don’t go up to $20,” councilmember Bobby Ray Owens said.
Sadler said that there would be no gamble in this proposal and that MDI would put into a contract that the rates would not jump anymore than 3 to 4 percent of normal CPI.
“The rates are guaranteed for three years,” Sadler said. “At the end of three years, we ask that we’re able to sit down with you again to come up with an additional rate.
“We don’t anticipate any changes,” he said.
Garbage trucks and employees would be furnished by MDI, and they would absorb all costs pertaining to the cans, trucks and any maintenance attributed to the trash service, Sadler said.
A concern of Councilman Mike Booth’s was what would happen if a truck were to break down, Sadler guarantees there are others to take its place.
“We will always have trucks available, we will never miss a service day related to truck’s going down or needing service,” Sadler said.
Owens voiced concerns about trash littering the street and who would be responsible for cleaning that up.
Sadler guaranteed that the employees on their rear-load trucks would be cleaning up any spilled trash.
Contracting out Opp’s waste disposal was a topic some council members thought was past, but others were eager to hear about it.
“I’ve made up my mind pretty much,” councilman TD Morgan said. “If you guys are making money, I’m sure we can, too.”
Morgan was unable to share what the city makes from its waste disposal services, he said, because the city recently started running two trucks.
Sadler said the city could see as much as $250,000 a year in profit by contracting the service out to MDI.
In other business the council;
• passed an ordinance for the sale of property to Custom Collars;
• passed a resolution to abate property at 314 Stanley Ave.;
• passed a resolution to abate property at 302 14 Street;
• gave permission to the mayor to sign a contract for fire alarm systems at Opp Headstart, Senior Center and the Hardin Street Community Center;
• tabled a motion to abate property at 1300 Old Perry Store;
• appointed Debbie King to the DRA Board; and,
• donated $1,000 to the Bobcat Booster club.