The City of Smithville is phasing in the use of its new automated side loader garbage truck.
The truck is already being used to collect garbage on the Monday and Tuesday routes and it will begin serving residents and businesses on the Wednesday routes starting next week.
(VIDEO SHOWS NEW SIDE LOADER GARBAGE TRUCK MAKING PICKUP FROM NEW CONTAINER AT HOME ON GOLF CLUB DRIVE)
“Once we get that route going for two or three weeks, then we’ll set up the Thursday route. It’s being done in phases,” said City Public Works Director Kevin Robinson.
During Monday night’s meeting, the Smithville Aldermen adopted on first reading an ordinance establishing general standards for the new service. Second and final reading of the ordinance is scheduled at the September meeting.
All city residents are being provided one 96 gallon roll out container at no charge to properly store one weeks accumulation of garbage. Those who need more than one container may purchase an additional can for a one time user fee of $100 with a 50% refund should the container be returned to the city in proper condition. Residents must use only the trash containers provided by the city for this new service.
Unlike the city’s older garbage trucks, this new one is being manned only by the driver and equipped with an automated side loader for picking up curbside residential household garbage. The side loader can extend up to 12 feet in grabbing a garbage can and lifting it up for disposal into the truck.
For homes on narrow streets, the city has retrofitted two of its existing garbage trucks with rear loaders. Under this system, operators will place the trash cans at the rear of the trucks and the loaders will lift the cans and dump the garbage into the trucks.
Although the city is mailing residents and business owners written copies of the regulations, Robinson said it will take time for them to get used to the new service. “We’ve already had problems with people not setting the cans in the right place, turning them backward or sideways. We are sending an extra guy on the routes right now to make sure the cans are set in the right place and he is placing a tag on the cans to instruct the residents on how the containers are to be placed for the truck to be able to pick them up,” he said.
Those who don’t yet have a new trash container from the city will be getting them soon.
The new ordinance states in part as follows:
*All residents shall be provided one 96 gallon roll out container at no charge to properly store one week’s accumulation of refuse
*Residential households who regularly exceed 96 gallons of garbage a week may obtain an additional container for a one time fee of $100 with a 50% refund should the additional container be returned to the City of Smithville in proper condition. When returned to the city the container is not to be painted, abused, mutilated, altered, or modified in any manner.
*Only refuse in the container shall be collected. Additional refuse left on the ground will not be picked up.
*Household material that will not fit into a roll out container such as appliances, furniture, large boxes, etc. may not be set out with the regular garbage.
*The refuse container shall not be filled to overflowing as to prevent the lid from fully closing. Container lids are to be closed for collection. If the overflow of refuse is regular, the city shall notify the resident to obtain an additional container.
*All residents shall place their refuse containers at curbside or at the edge of the street no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Containers must be removed from the curb, street, or alleyway no later than 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
*The container shall be placed in such a manner as not to interfere with overhead power lines or tree branches, parked cars, vehicular traffic, or in any other way that would constitute a public hazard or nuisance. Containers are to be at least four feet from any tree, pole, mailbox, fire hydrant, etc. and at least ten feet away from any cars parked in the street.
*Each resident shall be responsible for keeping the container clean and sanitary in compliance with health and sanitation requirements and shall keep container lid closed at all times.
*All diapers, animal feces, cat litter, and similar wastes shall be placed in durable plastic bags adequately sealed before being placed in the roll out container.
*Paints, stains, and similar materials still in their liquid form shall not be placed in refuse containers and shall not be collected by the department of public works as a part of regular collection.
*Highly flammable, combustible, explosive, or hazardous materials shall not be placed in refuse containers and shall not be collected by the department of public works as a part of regular collection. Such materials shall be disposed of as prescribed by state and local laws.
*All syringes and other medical waste shall be placed in sealed, puncture proof containers prior to being placed in a refuse container for collection by the department of public works or the authorized collector.
*The container is not to be painted, abused, mutilated, altered, or modified in any manner.
*Scavenging and salvaging is unlawful. No person shall remove or attempt to remove materials from any refuse container belonging to another person or business. All materials placed in a refuse container shall be the property of the City of Smithville or authorized collector.
*Each resident or owner shall be responsible for replacing the container if it is damaged or destroyed by the resident or owner as a result of his negligence, by the payment of current market value plus 20% replacement fee to the city.
*The city shall replace any container that is worn out by normal wear and tear, or if it is stolen or damaged by a person other than the resident to whom it is assigned.
*Residents that are not in compliance with the city’s roll out container rules and regulations will be notified by placement of a sticker on the container. The sticker will be clearly marked what compliance is not being met. If the resident does not meet the compliance by the next week’s collection day, the container will not be emptied.
*Any resident moving to another location within the city limits, or out of the city limits, shall be responsible for notifying the public works department. The roll out container shall remain at the original assigned location. Additional containers shall also remain at the original assigned location unless the resident is moving to another location inside the city limits or may be returned to the city for a 50% refund of the $100 fee assessed for the additional container.
*No person shall deposit refuse in a privately or publicly owned container without the expressed permission of the owner of said container.