Waterford

Bulk pick-up put on back burner

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

Maybe at some point, but not now.

The Waterford Village Board overwhelmingly delivered this response as a proposed annual bulk item pick-up day went under the microscope.

With early backing by the village’s Finance Committee, plans had been in motion to revise an existing contract with trash and recycling hauler John’s Disposal, beginning in 2017. But the Village Board on June 13 had a change of heart and reversed course.

If plans had moved forward, the village would have implemented a bulk pick-up day once annually for such large items as refrigerators, humidifiers and furniture. The village’s public works department once accepted these items, but cost and logistical concerns ended the practice in 2010.

Providing an annual bulk pick-up day would tack $6,656 onto the village’s contract with John’s, Village Administrator Rebecca Ewald said. As is the case now, residents would pay $40 for a special pick-up outside the designated date.

As budgetary constraints remain an ongoing cause for concern, officials decided to put the bulk pick-up day on the backburner with a possible revisit in an upcoming year.

“I’m concerned about cost,” Trustee Andrew Ewert said. “Given what we have to go through (in the budget), line by line, I’m wondering if we want to add this line.”

The bulk item pick-ups would have been funded through the village’s public works budget, which gave pause to Jeff Dolezal, the head of the department.

“I have a budget that’s bare bones already,” Dolezal said. “Something would have to give. Another service might have to be cut.”

Comments are closed.