TALKING TRASH — On Monday, Follansbee Council discussed ways to reduce costs for the city’s sanitation services, including the rates for special collections of bulk materials. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — The mayor and Follansbee Council were talking trash Monday as they discussed ways to cut costs for the city’s sanitation services.

After some discussion, council voted to raise the cost for city crews to provide special pickups of bulky items to $75 for materials requiring a pickup truck and $150 for those requiring a dump truck and to advertise for a private hauler that may empty the Dumpsters of local businesses.

City Manager Chris Manack-Stover told council of about 96 special pickups conducted last year, the charge for most was $20.

Fourth Ward Councilman Rudy Cipriani said city code states rates charged by the city for a service should be sufficient to meet the cost of that service.

He conceded it’s difficult to know the cost for bulky pickups because much of the material goes to the local landfill with regular trash collections.

But he estimated the city has lost about $10,000 per month in hauling large appliances and other bulky items, which he noted may be left out during the city’s free spring and fall cleanups.

“We need to make it so we’re not losing money,” said Cipriani.

Third Ward Councilman Nick Cekinovich said city officials need to make clear what materials constitute a special cleanup, adding he believes that’s anything that can’t fit into a standard garbage can.

While the vote to draft an ordinance for the rate hike was unanimous, Mayor Scott McMahon noted he and others can be looking into how other area cities handle such pickups in the interim.

The move to advertise for a hauler for garbage collected in Dumpsters by local businesses was approved by a 5-1 vote.

Supporting it were Cipriani, Cekinovich, 5th Ward Councilman Joe Kafton, Councilman at large John Schwertfeger and 1st Ward Councilman Anthony D’Ulisse.

Opposing it was 2nd Ward Councilman John Casinelli, who suggested the city’s Dumpster fees be raised instead.

Following the meeting, he expressed concern about smaller businesses affording the charges of a private hauler.

McMahon noted advertising for a private hauler could serve primarily to give council an idea of the rates that may be charged and doesn’t bind council to hiring one.

The rationale behind the move was similar to that for the special pickup rate hike.

Cipriani said rates for the business collections, which vary according to the size and number of Dumpsters, haven’t increased since 2018.

He said that’s resulted in the city losing about $120,000 last year and $14,730 so far this year.

McMahon said the city’s public works department spends time on six days of the week on garbage collection.

He said privatizing the business trash collections would allow city crews more time to work on other things.

Council agreed to advertise for a code enforcement officer to investigate complaints of tall grass and trash and debris in yards.

The part-time official is slated to work under the police department, through which citations may be issued, in cooperation with the city manager.

In other business:

�–� Council approved the first reading of an ordinance regulating utility task vehicles in the city.

Kafton, who proposed it, said it will bring the city into compliance with state laws prohibiting the use of such vehicles on city streets when they are unlicensed and unless they are crossing from one side to another or used for snow plowing or disaster cleanup efforts.

�–� Council agreed to advertise for a city resident to serve on its building enforcement agency, for which members are paid $75 per meeting; and for volunteers to serve on a new summer event committee to be charged with developing a summer event for the city.

Those interested should submit letters of interest to the City Building.

�–� Council agreed to accept the acquisition of the former Kiger apartments at 205 Main St. with the intention of demolishing the long vacant structure.

Noting the site is among the first drivers see as they enter the city’s south end, McMahon told council, “Come up with a plan for this property. Don’t let it be another empty lot where we’re just cutting grass and weed-whacking.”

�–� Deputy Police Chief Lester Skinner said in response to complaints of speeding at the city’s south end, additional patrols were conducted there and 16 vehicles were stopped, resulting in 19 citations for various violations.

Skinner said the city’s police department has been awarded two $500 grants for additional patrols to enforce laws against drunk and distracted driving.

�–� Schwertfeger said there are plans for a Christmas party for senior citizens on the afternoon of Dec. 6 to coincide with the city’s Christmas light-up ceremony to be held that evening.

�–� Council tabled a request for a yellow curb beneath a set of mailboxes near Walnut and Neville streets after Skinner suggested there are residents who would be without parking space if that were done.

City Police Chief Larry Rea suggested instead approaching the Postal Service about moving the mailboxes so they are more easily accessible to mail carriers.

Council also agreed to restore a handicap parking space and space for a loading zone in the 500 block of Main Street and the creation of a loading zone for the 900 block of Main Street.