Council approves new trash, fee ordinances

By MIKE WILLIAMS

The Patriot

Pulaski Town Council on Tuesday approved both a trash ordinance and a trash pickup fee schedule.

Town Manager Darlene Burcham, participating in the meeting via Zoom, told council that prior to discussions over garbage pickup the town had a very “slim” section of Town Code concerning trash – on both the collection of trash and trash on properties.

She said the garbage pickup discussion gave the Town Attorney and staff an opportunity to clean up the code as it pertains to trash.

The new code language makes it unlawful for anyone to place garbage on their premises without it being kept in some form of metal container or dumpster.

“We hope this will minimize any blowing of trash,” Burcham said.

She said there is additional language under the section of the code that deals with pickup that requires each premises owner to place their garbage at the curb.

Burcham noted the town will have a four-day collection, Monday through Thursday. The town will be divided into four quadrants with garbage in one quadrant being picked up each day.

She said all alley collections would be picked up on Mondays.

Burcham said specific information for each address will be provided when the new garbage containers are delivered by GFL (Green For Life), and Burcham noted that delivery would happen the week of Dec. 26.

GFL will begin its pickup of garbage in the town on Jan. 2.

As part of the garbage service, curbside bulk collection will be available once per month, and leaf pickup will continue each year.

Burcham said the ordinance requires that every occupied residential property and small business in town must establish a solid waste account.

“That account will be with the town and they will be billed $20 per month,” Burcham said.

“If businesses require larger containers for their garbage, they can contract with any of a number of vendors for dumpsters, roll-offs or whatever is suitable to the amount of trash they have,” she said.

The time for placement of garbage containers is spelled out in the ordinance and in the materials to be provided by GFL.

“We are indicating the containers should be out for collection no later than 6 a.m. on the day of their scheduled collection, and may be placed the day before no earlier than 4:30 p.m. from November to March and no earlier than 7 p.m. from April to October,” Burcham said.

“The containers are to be removed from the front of the residence as soon as possible after collection, but no later than 7 p.m. on the day of collection,” she added.

The ordinance lists the holidays that will be observed, and Burcham noted that garbage on those days would be picked up the next day but within the same week.

Bulk collection will be conducted on a specific day of the month in each quadrant and no more than three bulk items will be allowed per pickup.

She said the town will operate a convenience center multiple days of the week as is done now at the Dora Highway site.

As for the fee ordinance, Burcham repeated the town will continue with the same $20 per month fee as was charged by the Pulaski County PSA previously.

It was noted that some apartment complex dwellers may not be billed that amount due to arrangements between individual apartment complexes and their tenants on paying for garbage pickup.