WM Public Works scores deal on Dumpsters

WM Public Works scores deal on Dumpsters

Update on Southland Drive extension, recycling efforts

news@theeveningtimes.com

Procurement was the word that kicked off the February Public Works Commission meeting in West Memphis.

Chairwoman Ramona Taylor met with fellow city councilors James Pulliaum and Lorraine Robinson along with Code Enforcement Officer Mike Antel and Rhonda Standridge of the public works department.

$9,800 will be spent on replacement carts used to collect for the truck.

Dumpster bins used both for new commercial accounts and to replace worn out ones are less expensive this year. Bids have been returned and the commission made the recommendation to proceed. The city caught a break on shipping, too.

“They are almost $100 per bin less this year,” said Standridge. “We are getting 18 all together. We were going to order eight 4-yard dumpsters and six 10-yard dumpsters. With shipping and taxes that is $11,150.

We saved on freight that way it would have cost another $600 in freight for two trucks if we had ordered 20. So we came in under budget.”

After announcing the purchases the group heard the current status of the Southland Drive extension project and came up to date on the recycling report.

The Southland Drive extension project will connect Ingram Boulevard with one lane each way to North 7th Street near the new hospital location. Engineering and design work is finished. An expected completion date of October is anticipated but the dirt hasn’t been turned over yet.

“We are waiting on the Highway departments concurrence to approve the bid for Crisp Contractors to build the road,” said Standridge.

Recycling maintained a steady stride over the first months of 2016.

The January total weighed 12,420 pounds and February 10,780.

“We did dump two loads today (March 1) which puts us up there at pretty much even,” said Standridge. “It seems to be consistent. Ewaste was moved out once.”

Taylor asked for paint recycling to be advertised on cable access television and posted at city hall.

“The paint bins are full now, its heaping over,” said Standridge. “We’ve had paint recycling three or four months. It has taken the bins that long to fill.”

The city paint recycling takes latex paint only. A recycler blends the paint together and markets it to Eco aware consumers at a savings over normal prices. The collection bin is set on the south side of city hall.

“You cannot do that witg oil-based paints,” said Standridge.å

By John Rech