Barrhead residents are one step closer to having automated, front street garbage pick-up.
On June 26, Town of Barrhead residents passed an amendment to the Municipal Public Utilities Bylaw (Bylaw 05-2018) which will allow public works staff to start implementing curbside refuse pick-up.
However, it wasn’t a slam-dunk. Coun. Dausen Kluin voted against the passage of the first two readings of the bylaw saying he had a number of concerns about the potential impact the new service would have on area residents. He withdrew his opposition when the bylaw was presented for the third reading.
One of Kluin’s concerns was the potential replacement cost of the bin if it were stolen or damaged.
“If they had a bin that is just like it, could they use it instead of buying another one from the town?” he said, adding a number of residents have expressed their concern about potential replacement costs of the cart.
Chief administrative officer Martin Taylor said ultimately that would be council’s decision, but his preference was no.
“These are town bins and we need to control what they look like. It is a town program and there should be consistency,” he said.
Coun. Ty Assaf asked if residents could buy an extra bin and what the cost would be.
Taylor said once again, that was council’s decision, but suggested it would be problematic because the town has a limited number of extra bins.
Currently the town’s cost per bin is roughly $66.
Kluin then asked if public works had any plans to add additional pickup days during periods when residents usually generate more garbage, such as Christmas, because when the town goes to automated pickup they will be limited to the one 65-gallon bin.
“What you are talking about is what level of service the town should provide, whether it is once or twice a week, how many bins, possible fees imposed, these are all decisions council has to make. I can tell you residents have been very fortunate in this community not to have limits on how much garbage they put out. I can tell you in many communities that isn’t the case,” he said.
Taylor added all council was deciding on was whether or not they were going to amend the existing bylaw.
“At the July 10 meeting, we will be giving council more of the operational details of how this will actually look, the lifetime of the bins, that sort of thing. What you are doing now is deciding whether or not to amend the bylaw which will allow us to roll out the program,” he said.
Phase 1 for single-family residences and duplexes will begin on the week of July 9 to 13. During this time residents will be provided with a black waste cart on their regular waste pick-up date. Information will also be provided outlining the specifics for using the cart. The target date for automated residential pickup is July 23.
Phase 2 for multi-residential, commercial, industrial and institutions will begin starting in August.
In September 2017, council approved the purchase of a new 2017 Peterbilt garbage truck with a heil compactor and curotto can for $369,614, plus GST. Originally the service was slated to begin this spring. In April 2018, councillors approved the purchase of 1,700 residential 65-gallon waste bins from Rehrig Pacific, as well as 60 commercial bins from Universal Handling Equipment for $164,140. The residential bins hold 65-gallons of refuse, while half of the commercial bins hold four yards and six yards respectively.
For multi-residential, three or more apartments or suites, as well as other larger users, the town will either provide a new bin or retrofit an existing bin. Town staff will contact individual property owners to determine what type of waste bin will be the most appropriate. Bins that were purchased by the town and are still in good condition will be retrofitted at the town’s expense.
