Mount Ayr Council To Consider Costs To Contracting Out Solid Waste Service

Mount Ayr’s Board of Aldermen could be considering options for keeping their solid waste service in-house or contracting the service out to another vendor.

During Tuesday night’s meeting, the Board of Aldermen requested City Administrator Brent Wise to provide costs for the city for keeping the Garbage Enterprise Fund and the solid waste service within the city and the cost for the city to contract that service to another vendor. The city struggled to keep a truck operational and is currently down one city employee position. During Tuesday’s meeting, council members received information that two vendors have shown some interest in taking over the operation. In December, the council rescinded a motion to seek repairs on their 2016 garbage truck. The city had previously received an offer of $31,000 for the old truck. Since that time, the offer has been reduced to $25,000. Later in Tuesday’s meeting, the council approved the sale of the truck for $25,000. Later, the council also approved a resolution to enter a loan agreement of no more than $165,000 with KS State Bank to help finance a new garbage truck. The figures to be provided before the council are expected to be considered at a future session.

Mount Ayr’s council also agreed to contribute $10,000 for the rehabilitation of a building located on 110 East Madison Street through Iowa’s Community Catalyst Remediation Program. That program provides up to $100,000 in grant funding in an effort to stimulate economic development. Mount Ayr’s action was made on the condition that the building project moves forward to the next phase of the application process.

The council approved Chloe Saville to the Deputy City Clerk position and Amanda Cannon to the City Clerk and City Treasurer positions.

Lucas Smith was approved to a position on the Mount Ayr Board of Adjustment. Thad Streit was appointed to the Park Board. Mike Shields was appointed to a position on the Zoning Board.

Mike Wik was selected as city representative on the Wayne, Ringgold, Decatur Landfill Council.