By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
PINSON – The Pinson City Council voted unanimously to approve renewing its contract with Waste Management during a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 18.
“It really is a public safety and sanitation issue,” said Mayor Pro-Temp Robbie Roberts. “We kind of take it for granted that the garbage guy comes around and fixes the stuff up but if you look back through history you will find that that didn’t always happen and as a result, disease, bad animals, other kinds of things can really flare up and so it’s an important duty for the council to be involved in.”
The decision came months after discussion, including numerous complaints regarding the company’s services. In the last several months, the council has discussed alternatives, with the time coming up to renew the current contract.
The alternatives were bidding out for other services or bringing them in house.
In the meantime, the council also considered extending the contract with Waste Management for one year while they research what else to do. However, Roberts said that he met with officials at the company, who declined a one-year extension but offered a two-year extension with an optional third year.
Because the time is approaching to renew the contract there is no more to bid for other services, said Councilman Brad Walker, though this gives them time to further research the alternatives.
“As painful as it is for me to say that in front of the community that has struggled with the garbage pickup, I think we’re out of options at this point,” he said. “And we need to continue that contract for now.”
Using a translator due to his ALS condition, Mayor Joe Cochran said, “We have talked it to death.”
The extension was passed unanimously.
Additionally the council approved culvert repairs on Gilmer Drive and Flight Drive near the intersection of Highway 79. A sinkhole has been detected on the roads, prompting action.
“Things wear and tear over the years, flooding, waterway and everything,” Roberts said. “And stuff just begins to erode. Unfortunately, we’ve got some serious problems there on one of them. The good thing is that there’s hardly any pedestrians down that way but we don’t want anybody turning into the road and have their car disappear.”
Zoning Official Bob Jones said that the InSite Engineering firm proposed digging up the dirt over the pipes and pour a non-shrinking grout with wings on top of the pipes before building a type of bridge over it. He said that the bridge should keep drainage from going inside. Afterwards the area will be backfilled and paved over.
The project is slated to begin in the next 30 days. The council approved allotting $100,000 for the bidding and completion of the repairs.
In other business the council set the dates for upcoming city events throughout the year. These were CityFest on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Day Luncheon on Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Christmas Parade on Dec. 6.
Discussion on leasing the Powell Avenue House mentioned at the last meeting to potential renters was tabled to a future meeting.
The council also approved sales tax exemptions for covered emergency preparedness items on July 19-21 and on Feb. 23-25.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.