West Memphis needs more trash trucks

City continues to work toward getting collections back on track

news@theeveningtimes.com

Just as West Memphis took delivery of two new trash trucks to clean debris from the City, Mayor Marco McClendon delivered an offer to purchase more sanitation equipment. The new trash trucks went into service Tuesday, Aug. 6, to support the new trash collection routes. The same day McClendon delivered an opportunity to the public works commission for another trash truck and front-in-loader which picks up commercial Dumpsters.

The City leased its two new trucks, but City Treasurer Frank Martin recommended financing to purchase the next two trucks. The details quickly came together. The city had been working on a lease for the Dumpster truck.

“The mayor called me this morning with the opportunity to get another trash truck,” said Martin. “The lease was really restrictive.

Rather than lease it for three years, we could finance it ourselves and pay it off in five years.”

The estimated cost for the Dumpster truck was $260,000. The proposed trash truck cost amounted to $132,000. Financing the purchases were estimated at $86,000 each year, or about $7,200 per month for five years.

“When the mayor called this morning about another new trash truck, I worked it into the proposal for the Dumpster truck,” said Martin. “To me financing these is a much better option than the lease.”

Martin said he had general agreement with a local bank to finance the new equipment but to proceed would need approval from both the public works commission and the full city council.

Bank financing became a must for the sanitation department because it owes money to both the City TRASH TRUCKS

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general fund, $116,000, and to the Utility, $370,000. City sanitation has no repayment plan in place for either deficit.

Martin said the sanitation deficit to the utility fund would continue to grow.

When customers skip their final utility payments, the sanitation fees on the bill go unpaid as well.

“Every time the utilities has a write-off, the fund goes up,” said Martin.

Commissioners approved

for consideration at the next city council meeting.

The June 15 meeting was set for a new time at 5 p.m. after the council approved a new ordinance mandating future third Thursday city council meetings be held during the evening to accommodate members of the public unable to attend the traditional 1:30 p.m.

meetings.