With county program about to end, Goessel council OKs recycling plan

The Goessel City Council agreed during its March 18 meeting to try a new recycling option since the county recycling program will end soon.

Councilor Jim Wiens had looked into an option that would allow Goessel residents and the surrounding community to continue recycling.

The council discussed a system where the people who use recycling would pay a donation. The city estimates that $400 to $500 per month would be needed. Based on the number of households that use the current recycling facility, each household would need to donate a suggested amount of $10 per month for the new system.

Councilor Larry Schmidt, who has been administering the current recycling facility, reported that even though it was still three days until the recycling products would be picked up, one bin was already 90 percent full and another one was already 70 percent full.

Schmidt said he has heard from people who want to continue recycling, and he thought they would be willing to pay to do so. He is at the recycling bins two hours a week on Thursdays, and estimates that 50 to 60 people a month come just within that two-hour time. That does not account for others who come throughout the week.

The number of recyclers varies from week to week. For example, during recent bad weather, only three people came one Thursday, but 25 came a different Thursday.

Council members emphasized that the success of the new program will depend on the recycling users paying the suggested $10 per month. The money can be dropped in the city?s drop box at the city building.

The current bins will be removed April 30. The city hopes to have the new program in place immediately after that date. The council hopes donations will cover the cost.

?I don?t want to put it on the city?s bill,? Wiens said.

If sufficient donations do not come in, the program might have to be abandoned.

The program would be open to residents in the surrounding community?Goessel school district patrons who do not live within Marion County.

Paper-shredding day

The council discussed the possibility of offering a paper-shredding day again. When the city offered the shredding service previously, the cost to the city was $525 for a three-hour minimum charge.

The council discussed other options for shredding service that would not cost as much money. The council voted to try Wildcat Shredding, which would cost considerably less. However, the public is advised that although the papers to be shredded would go into a locked ?console,? the paper would not be shredded on site. The city would not be liable for those documents.

The date and other details have not been determined yet.

Other business

In other business, the council:

? heard from Schmidt that he had cleaned at the park, and it is already being used. He said he saw 13 children playing in the park earlier that day.

Public works director Karen Dalke said she had turned on the water at the park Friday. She also installed a new faucet, for a cost of $53. She installed a new swing for $20.

? heard from court clerk Paula Flaming that the police department had issued eight speeding tickets and six verbal warnings for speed.

? heard of the need for a new computer for court clerk duties. The current one is 8 years old. ?It?s running really? slowly, Flaming said.

? decided to install a 30 mph sign at the intersection of Main and Harvest Court.

? discussed the composting area and the possibility of concreting that area. The council also discussed pouring concrete for the rock, sand and fill sand stock pile areas. Dalke said those areas are muddy, and water does not run off. Vehicle tires sink into the mud.

?It?s very soft,? she said, and some people get stuck. The concrete would need to be 6 inches thick because vehicles would drive on it. She said $3,890 would pay for half of the concrete.

? heard Dalke report it would not be ?an easy repair? to fix three fire hydrants. She said the hydrants are heavy, and it would cost $8,000 for two hydrants. She would like to get them replaced this summer.

? discussed utility services to a new building on the corner of North Cedar and Marion, where a water meter and sewer connection already exist.

? discussed with city attorney Marilyn Wilder what to do about buildings that are not in compliance with city codes. The city?s building inspector, Loren John, attended the meeting to discuss the matter.

? heard about conferences that city employees plan to attend. City clerk Anita Goertzen plans to attend a water conference. Flaming plans to attend a court conference in Salina.

? met in executive session to discuss contracts for cleaning, recycling, and the park but had nothing to report in open session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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