Huntington City discussed their garbage collection system at their September council meeting. Fuel costs have had a major impact on the garbage collection. When Emery Sanitation started their garbage collection fuel costs were $2.80 a gallon and now diesel is still close to $5 a gallon. Fuel has been a major impact, but insurance costs have decreased for Emery Sanitation and they still feel they can honor the contract as written and also help with spring cleanups. The council asked Kent Wilson to explore the possibilities of recycling and also having a dumpster for scrap metal.
Wilson said a separate can is required for the recycling and cans are $72.50 each. He will check into the recycling process and examine the costs involved.
Mayor Hilary Gordon said as a whole the nation has been very wasteful and any steps the city can take toward recycling would be appreciated. A motion was made to extend the contract for garbage collection for the next year. The contract will be reviewed, but it is believed it is open ended.
Wilson also mentioned a uniform purchasing policy idea which will be explored at the council of governments meeting. In Ferron, according to their purchasing policy they had to take the lowest bid even though City Sanitation had been the garbage service carrier for more than 30 years. It would be a benefit for local contractors to know exactly what they are bidding on and a uniform purchasing policy for each of the cities in the county would be beneficial.
Wilson said he is donating six free rolloffs per year. Council member Julie Jones requested garbage cans for the new Miners Memorial Park.
Mayor Hilary Gordon reported the Castle Valley Special Service District said the chip and seal project scheduled for Huntington for next year has been pushed back to 2010 due to high costs of asphalt and unavailability of oil. Asphalt costs have risen three fold over the past year.
Huntington City workers will be spraying for weeds in the cracks between the asphalt and the gutters around town. Mayor Gordon complimented Jones on the new memorial park. She said the program for the dedication of the miners memorial was lovely. “I’m glad it’s done. A lot of people have said how nice the memorial park looks. Along Main Street the weed strips have been covered up with cement and it looks very nice. There is a strip of asphalt by the junior high by the new planter that will be finished,” said Mayor Gordon.
In the council member reports Jones thanked everyone for their help with the memorial park. She said she learned how to operate equipment. There are a few things there that still need to be completed. She said she toured the Huntington flour mill and found the stairs inside to be pretty stable. It is suggested the building needs an architectural inspection. Grants can be applied for which can be used to fix up the old mill. If the city can gain permission, they will get a group together to clean up in and around the old mill. The next grant cycle starts in January and by then the city might have some idea of how to proceed with the property.
Jones said the cemetery worker has 300 banked hours from work completed over the summer. Jones wondered how this should be handled as she is a 35 hour per week employee. The council will look at the budget and see what can be done. Mayor Gordon said the cemetery looks really good.
Mayor Gordon asked the council if they had any ideas for projects they would like submitted to the CIB. It’s time to get them on the list. CIB funds are good at this time, but you never know how they might hold up. Some suggestions were soccer fields on 400 East; and Cathy Cowley suggested they finish the streets.
Robert Mills council member gave his report. He said the secondary water will be shut off the middle of October. Work is being done on an irrigation pond in Huntington Canyon behind Nielson Construction as part of the salinity project. There is a spot in the sidewalk by the junior high which is raised due to a limb growing beneath the sidewalk and it needs to be fixed. The school district has been contacted about the safety hazard.
Travis Larsen council member voiced his thanks to Jones for her work on the memorial park, he apologized for not getting there more often to help. The fall cleanup is going on now and a dumpster is at the rodeo grounds and limbs will be picked up through Oct. 31. He encouraged all residents to clean up their yards and if they need help with anything to contact the city hall and he would be available to help out as needed. He complimented the new cement pads along Main Street. New benches will be coming to be installed along Main Street and a new clock has been put in by the city hall. He would also like garbage cans installed along Main Street to keep trash off the streets. “The city is looking very nice,” said Larsen.
The city has three other projects currently underway including a skate park, splash pad and new soccer field by the Lion’s Park.
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