By Bonnie Culverhouse
Minden City Council has given Mayor Nick Cox the authority to sign an amended agreement with Republic Services for trash pick-up in the city limits.
Around two months ago, Cox sent Republic a letter of dissatisfaction with trash pick-up, asking for concessions to be made on the part of the business.
“This is exactly what we asked them to do – every bit of it,” Cox said Monday during a council workshop.
The amended contract will go into effect in January in order to give Republic time to build a website specifically for Republic Services of Minden.
“Residents will have a place to go to air complaints if their trash was missed,” Cox said.
Cox said these concessions are at no additional cost to the citizens of Minden.
One of the requests was for an extra 96 gallon Republic service grade trash receptacle for any resident who needs it.
“They already have 3,000 new ones on their Minden yard,” Cox said. “If they need more, they can get them.”
If a resident wants a second can, they would log onto the new website and request it.
“Or you can call city hall, and we will do it for you,” he added.
Cox said many residents do not know about rules for collecting “yard waste.”
Up to 10 bags of yard waste will be picked up per week. They cannot be more than six feet wide, six feet long and six feet high.
“That’s the same as it’s always been,” the mayor said. “The caveat to that is if you have a pile, you have to call or go to the website and schedule that pick up. That side loader is not going to pick up a six by six by six pile. That’s why it has to be scheduled.”
Pick-up of cardboard boxes will have to be scheduled unless they are broken down and fit in the trash receptacle.
“If it doesn’t fit in the bin, it is not going to get picked up unless scheduled,” Cox stressed.
If you have one household item – couch, recliner, bed, mattress, etc. (no appliances) Republic will pick up one of these items at a time.
“It will be picked up in seven days, but again, you have to schedule it because a different truck picks that up,” he said.
Cox said Minden’s website will be actively monitored, and Republic will supply the city with reports.
Another item requested by the City was two courtesy trash days per year with four roll-off containers available for household trash.
“Ideally, set up a roll-off container for trash – possibly at the Fairgrounds – one for metal (appliances), one for hazardous waste, paint … it would be a big ‘clean up the city’ from eight to twelve on those two days,” Cox said.
The final point the City requested and was granted concerns the landfill.
Cox said Minden City residents will be allowed to utilize the Webster Parish Landfill at no charge one time per week for residential waste.
“This is per home provided the resident has a City utility bill that states they pay a sanitation fee from an address and identification in the same name as stated on the City of Minden utility bill,” Cox said. “If the resident takes the utility bill and identification to the landfill, they will be able to dump their trash for free once a week.”
Cox said Republic has agreed to put education material on the new website.
District D Councilman Michael Roy said he feels education about trash pick-up is essential.
“They (Republic) went to the side loaders and didn’t tells us,” Roy said. “Nothing is known about how the trash can should be set, how to turn it … we need emphasis on things like that.”
District A Councilman Carleton (Buddy) Myles agreed.
“I think we need to let residents know the changes that have taken place – either through mail-outs or pamphlets that go to everybody’s home,” Myles said.
Roy suggested how-to videos on the website.
“Maybe post videos on their website but on the City’s facebook page, too,” Myles added.