43
Struthers residents will pay more for garbage collection
STRUTHERS — City residents will be paying slightly more for trash and garbage collection beginning in May.
Mayor Terry Stocker said the Board of Control awarded a three-year contract to the low bidder, BFI, doing business as Allied Waste Industries.
Under the new contract, the monthly rate for full-curb service is $10.47, up 92 cents from the current rate of $9.55 per month.
Full-curb service includes collection of appliances, providing the Freon has been removed, furniture and other items. Hazardous material, such as paint, construction debris and tires will not be picked up, said Auditor Tina Morell.
Residents who don’t want or need full-curb service can purchase garbage bags for $2.50 each or $30 for a roll of 10 bags, she said.
In other business, the legislators unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits parking vehicles in residential front yards, but not without some reservations expressed by Councilman at-large Daniel Yemma and Councilwoman Sherri Hartzell, D-1st.
According to the ordinance, introduced by Councilman at-Large Michael Patrick, “front yard” means the “area between any portion of a residential structure, extending across the full distance of the property, that borders a street” be it in front or at the side, such as that of a corner lot.
The ordinance’s primary purpose is to clean up the city by not having vehicles parked in front yards and tearing them up, Patrick said.
He said he did not want the law more restrictive because he “does not want to make it difficult for people to live in our town.”
Yemma said he is concerned passing the law could cause more vehicles to be parked in the streets. Also, he said he foresees problems enforcing the law.
Hartzell wanted the ordinance tabled and more time given to discussion. She said the law does not prohibit parking vehicles between or behind homes and in the sight of their neighbors.