The City of Newton will begin adding another $1.50 to each city garbage bill beginning October 1.
The Newton Board of Aldermen passed the rate hike 3-1, with Bob Bridges, Linda Wash and Romonica Evans voting “yea” and Michael Hillie voting “nay.” Eric McCalphia was absent at the meeting.
Mayor Murray Weems proposed hiking the garbage rates $3 per month, but the aldermen felt it was too much to increase garbage rates at this time. Bridges offered the compromise of $1.50, bringing the total monthly garbage charge of $13.78 per customer. The total minimum utility bill will now be $53.40.
“I think $3 is too much, but I think $1.50 is OK right now,” Bridges said. “We want to make sure, however, that our garbage complaints are expressed to Waste Pro.”
It was those complains, however, that kept Hillie from supporting any increase.
“I’ve gotten a lot of complaints about our garbage,” Hillie said. “We’ve got garbage that’s not getting picked up. They’re not putting the garbage cans back where they’re supposed to. They’re leaving them in the road. Until they fix that, I just can’t support it.”
Weems said they have informed Waste Pro of the complaints, and they plan to do it again after passing the rate increase. The contract with Waste Pro will continue for 10 months before the city will put the garbage collection contract up for bid.
However, Weems said the city has to find ways to help maintain its viability.
“Our garbage rates are still comparable to other cities our size,” Weems said. “We have to do something to help our city keep up with the increasing expenses to maintain our level of city services.”
In other business, the aldermen:
• Paid Neel-Shaffer $2,580 for engineering services with the approved sewer rehabilitation project when funds become available.
• Sent a courtesy letter to Larry Morgan, owner of 107 Pecan St., and to Darrell Fielder, owner of a vacant lot at 113 Pecan St., asking them to clean up the property or the city could take further action to clean it up.
• Approved a one-eighth page for the Newton County Appeal’s band and cheerleaders section.
• Removed former Mayor David Carr from the Regions credit card account.
• Hired Daryl Thornton as a part-time police officer at the rate of $14.50. Police Chief Harvey Curry said Thornton will be pursuing drug interdiction cases, as Thornton has previously done with the Newton Police Department.
• Learned that Fire Chief J.C. Collins and other city officials will be traveling to Nafeco’s headquarters to oversee the beginning of the construction of the fire department’s new fire engine. They will return when construction is complete for final inspection.
• Heard from resident Dan Norman, who talked about the city’s appearance and lack of hotels. Weems responded said the city has been actively trying to attract hotels and other businesses, but one developer backed out because they couldn’t agree with a landowner on a selling price. Weems said there are other discussions ongoing, but he was not at liberty to discuss those negotiations.
