A vote to repeal an ordinance relating to monthly pick up of tree limbs, brush, bulky waste and yard waste did not pass during last week’s Durant City Council meeting because it was a tie vote.
This was a free monthly trash pick-up that the city once had, but it was discontinued and required repeal of the ordinance.
Mayor Martin Tucker and Vice Mayor Mike Simulescu voted to repeal the ordinance and council members Humphrey Miller and Danny Sherrer voted no.
Currently, there are only four members on Durant City Council due to the recent resignation of Lauran Fuller, and her seat has not yet been filled.
Although there was a vote on repealing the ordinance, the city said in a social media post that action on it had been tabled by Tucker.
Public Works Director Phillip Hightower said the city has since gone to a citywide cleanup in the fall and spring.
Sherrer said, “I’ve had more citizens contact me displeased with your decision on this than anything since I’ve been on the city council.”
Hightower said it was costing the city a lot of money for the free hauling.
“When it started out, you were getting maybe 75 to 100 calls to come pick it up,” Hightower said. “When we quit it, it was over 475. That was running into operations … weekly operations. We had it where we was doing it on a Saturday. It was costing us a ton of overtime for that Saturday to haul it off.”
Sherrer said he thought it was a service the city needs to provide for the citizens.
Tucker disagreed and said he was not on the same page.
“I don’t know of other cities that do this for free,” Tucker said. “Maybe there are, I’m just not aware of any that provide this kind of service for free. I do think the city looks better overall, driving around neighborhoods because before, I think people just pushed things out on the curb and just let it sit there until we came by. I’m seeing less of that now.”
Sherrer replied that Tucker must be driving around different parts of the city and Hightower said the city can still pick up yard waste for $27.50 for a 3 X 6 brush pile.
City Manager Pam Polk said she has received many compliments that the city looks better because stuff is not sitting out waiting to be picked up.
Miller asked that that if the ordinance was not repealed if the city could start doing the monthly pick-ups again and Hightower replied, “We could.”
Simulescu said he was originally against repealing this service because he thought it was a helpful thing.
“But I tell you what, the city looks cleaner,” Simulescu said.
The council is expected to vote on repealing the ordinance again.