WARREN SANITATION Mayor: Keep increase in fee

The increase will sustain the department through 2008, the mayor said.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Mayor Hank Angelo is recommending keeping the $1 per month garbage collection rate increase passed earlier this year that runs through December and an additional 75 cents per month beginning Jan. 1.
If approved by council, the rate would bump from $13.37 per month for curbside collection to $14.12.
In April, council approved the rate increase effective through Dec. 31. That was to help stem losses of about $15,000 per month.
"This plan will get the department through the next five years," Angelo said.
No additional rate increases would be expected through Dec. 31, 2008, he said.
Under review
Councilman James A. "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, chairman of council's health and welfare committee, said he hasn't decided whether he'll support it the increase.
"I'm still reviewing it," Pugh said. "We'll probably have a committee meeting some time next week."
Pugh said he still supports creating a station where the city would separate garbage for disposal rather than the city contracting with Warren Recycling. He believes that would save the city money.
"I think it's a good time to start talking about that now," Pugh said.
Renee Cicero, director of environmental services, said six of the sanitation department's seven semi-automated trucks will be retrofitted with fully-automated loaders. The seventh truck will remain as a spare.
He said that since converting to the semi-automatic trucks, injury claims from department employees are few and the fully automatic loaders will further reduce potential for injury.
"The trucks will improve productivity and save time," the mayor said.
Angelo hopes council gives first reading at its next meeting to legislation outlining the plan and that it's passed before the end of this year.
Other changes
He said other changes at the department such as appointing a secretary to fill the office manager's duties and reclassifying another employee from an environmental specialist to a mechanic have been done to cut costs and improve efficiency.
The department also wants to buy a used truck equipped to pick up the large roll-off trash bins used when people are doing construction work. That will make the city competitive with private companies that do the work.
Estimated cost of the used truck is $30,000. Money generated by the rate increase also would be used to repair the department's building which was recommended in a state performance audit released earlier this year.
Cicero said she conducted comparisons with surrounding communities to determine what some private trash haulers charge. Those costs ranged from $15 monthly from one hauler serving Champion customers to $16 per month to one company working in Howland, she said.
Both Angelo and Cicero said the department would try to expand its commercial routes to increase revenue coming into the department.
denise.dick@vindy.com