Fast-changing technology affects nearly every aspect of our lives these days. This is even prevalent with our city garbage collection. Perry Public Works Director Jack Butler stopped in on the April 24 Perry Kiwanis Club meeting to give the members an update of how technology will soon be changing how our garbage is collected.
Butler said that starting in August, residential and commercial garbage collection will be performed by two trucks equipped with arms that are able to pick up household garbage containers and also dumpsters used at apartments and commercial locations.
Butler stated that two trucks will be purchased. One has one arm and will be used for residential containers. Another will have two arms and be able to lift dumpsters. If one of the trucks would happen to break down, each truck would also be able to be used for both residential and commercial containers.
Butler said garbage is now collected five days per week. Staring in August, this schedule will be reduced to three days per week, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. He said the new trucks will be able to pick up garbage faster. Instead of needing fice city staff members for garbage collection, there will now only need to be three staff members.
The new trucks will make the collection of garbage more efficient, Butler said. The new trucks will also cut down on employee injuries, which can be very costly for an employer.
Butler stressed that no jobs will be lost under the new arrangements. The two extra crew persons will be employed doing other city tasks. Butler also noted that when staff take days off, it is usually on a Monday or Friday. Changing to three days per week will make it less likely that someone will take time off, which will also help with staffing.
Residential customers will also be receiving containers. Butler believes that most people will like these better because the new containers will make household garbage more secure, keep it from blowing and prevent keep animals from getting into it.
Butler said there will no longer be curbside collection of recyclables. There will instead be collection spots throughout Perry where recyclables can be dropped off. It will be much like the current recycle containers south of town located by the county sheds on P58. Butler said recyclables are no longer profitable for the city to collect.
The annual citywide collection of household items was also discontinued this year. This is mainly because over the years a large number of Perry residents have not paid their bills for this collection, Butler said. There was also problems with pickers scattering items and making a mess before the city could pick up the items.
Butler stressed that residents at any time can call Susie Moorhead at the Perry City Hall at 465-2481 and discuss with her what items need to be picked up. Moorhead will tell residents the cost for a special pickup and indicate what day to place the items alongside the curb. Butler stated that a lot of items cost only $15 to pick up.
The City of Perry plans to host an open house event before August to show off the new trucks.
More information on the change of garbage collection may be found right here in ThePerryNews.com.
Welcoming Butler was his wife and first-year Kiwanian, Ernin Butler.
I still don’t understand how the city was not getting paid for their spring cleanup service when it was automatically entered on your garbage bill. I understand the mess SOME of trash divers were making, but non-payment makes no sense.
They don’t put it on the bill. That is the problem. It wouldn’t be an issue if they did put it on the bill. Instead they send a separate bill just for the spring clean fee.