Monday’s garbage collection was delayed for some Perry residents after a city-owned garbage truck was involved in a minor collision that put the truck out of service, but collections will resume Tuesday and continue with the regular schedule this week.
“We were running a little late on garbage today,” said Perry Public Works Assistant Director Josh Wuebker. “We had a loner lined up, but then the loner messed up on its way back into town, so they had to take that back.”
Wuebker said the repairs to the hydraulic arm on the side-loading garbage truck will be made at Elliott Equipment Co. in Grimes and should take only a few days.
“Till then, we’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way,” he said, “and take them up to the truck and dump them by hand, but we’ll get it.”
There were no injuries in the 8:45 a.m. mishap, which occurred when the truck was traveling northbound on Sixth Street, and the side-loading arm struck from the rear a pickup truck parked on the east side of Sixth Street. The pickup truck and three other vehicles involved in the collision were owned by Bobby Thomas of 814 Sixth St.
No citations were issued by the Perry Police Department.
“The arm was just out too far,” Wuebker said. “He’s probably dumped it 100,000 times before, and this was the first accident we’ve had. Not a good way to start to a Monday, but accidents happen. That’s his first accident in 25 years.”
He said the city’s insurance will make Thomas whole as well as the city.
