Hubbard considering easier garbage pickup

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

hubbard

The city council is considering whether to solicit bids for new garbage service.

City Service Director Dan Livingston said Wednesday that he has given the council a bid package to review. He said he’s hoping the head of council’s community and economic committee, Lisha Pompili-Baumiller, will request a resolution Monday that will allow him and the board of control to solicit bids for one exclusive carrier.

The city now has five collectors, he said.

“We’ve gotten complaints from residents,” he said. “There’s always trash cans in the streets,” he said, with companies picking up garbage on different days.

He also said the costs of garbage collection are going up.

He said the city hopes to get better service for a better price.

“We’re trying to see if it’s more efficient than to have five different carriers,” he said, adding that several nearby communities do have one garbage company.

He also said he’d like a company to offer “com-mingling” recycling, with papers, bottles and cans together.

Livingston said another good feature would be special services for senior citizens, such as a discount and bringing cans down to the street so they don’t have to.

Livingston said that council won’t vote on the resolution Monday.