City seeks savings in recycling transport
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Minot's Public Works Department looks to save money by tasking staff rather than a contractor with hauling the city's curbside-collected recyclables to a processor.
The Minot City Council voted 4-2 to support the idea after hearing the department's plans on Monday, Aug. 17.
Earlier this year, the council had approved entering a contract with Recycling Center of ND in Jamestown and discontinuing the city's relationship with a Shakopee, Minnesota, recycling processor.
The Public Works Department asked the council to approve a one-year contract with the city's current hauler to take recyclables to Jamestown rather than Shakopee while city staff look into doing the hauling in-house. It also asked for permission to purchase a used truck to do the hauling.
Public Works Utilities Director Jason Sorenson said the city should be able to accomplish the work without hiring additional staff. In the summer, overtime likely will need to be incurred, but there should be no added labor cost in the winter, which is not as busy, he said. Currently two loads are hauled every other week, with an additional load about every other month, he said.
Sorenson indicated the city can do the job for less money. The contract extension with the hauler has a fee of $1,175 per trip, plus fuel, or about $94,575 annually. Self-hauling is estimated to cost $45,095 annually.
Council member Scott Samuelson said the Public Works Department may have an extra person now but may not in the future.
"The fact that we can do it is a little questionable to me," he said.
Council member Mike Blessum found the recycling program questionable for residents.
"It breaks even because we charge them money," he said. "So we continue to jump through hoops to prop this up, and this is the latest hoop."
Sorenson said there never was a promise that recycling would break even.
"This is a program that's going to cost money. We are trying to find ways for it to cost less money," he said.
Mayor Mark Jantzer noted the city started a recycling program because of public interest.
"This is something the majority of our community members want and still actively and enthusiastically participate in," he said.
The council voted 4-2, with Blessum and Samuelson dissenting, to approve the one-year hauling contract and direct the Public Works Department to get quotes for used trucks.
Separately, the council is asking the Engineering Department for crash data and recommendations for improvements at 16th Street and University Avenue after hearing from a resident concerned about dangers at that intersection.
Ron Garcia said the intersection has experienced serious crashes, including one involving a police vehicle and another that ended in a fatality. He voiced concern about the safety of school children walking across that intersection and about traffic speeding on 16th Street.
Additionally, the council asked city staff to look into an ordinance to license and regulate pet boarding facilities, bringing back information for its future consideration. The council previously received a request for licensing from a former, recent resident whose dog had died after slipping out the door of a boarding facility.