Today's Feature

Contract Change Approved.

The Carthage City Council Public Works Committee made the decision Tuesday to approve mid-contract changes (see "Requested Changes" inside) to the City disposal service contract with Allied Waste. The proposed changes would consolidate residential pickup rates to one category costing $8.00 per month. A senior category is to be offered in the amount of $6.50.

Since the previous committee meeting when the changes were originally requested, City staff including Public Works Director Chad Wampler and City Administrator Tom Short met with representatives of Allied Waste and reviewed the company’s records. Wampler informed the committee that the item was recommended for approval by City staff, based on the findings of that meeting, adding that the figures show that the increase is needed in order for the company to continue operating in Carthage.

The committee discussed at length the disadvantages of the increase. Committee member Bill Johnson said he felt the increase would punish all citizens who are paying the current $4.13 "single" monthly rate.

This increase was requested for several reasons, including increased fuel prices. One primary reason cited by the company is that many multiple apartment buildings were unfairly claiming a "single" status. The company says it has been difficult to police the actual level of use per rate category. Johnson agreed that there were violations, but added that the elimination of the category would punish those citizens who are appropriately listed as "single."

Allied Waste Sales Manager Jennifer Fagan was present at the meeting to discuss the changes. Fagan said that the company intends to do an audit to determine how much trash is being put out by Carthage residences. According to Fagan this will help the company know if any houses aren’t being billed, or if multiple apartments exist in houses being billed only once. Fagan added that this was not the only problem which would be rectified by the increases, saying that one of the primary concerns is simply the amount of trash coming from Carthage, an amount that is 50% higher than the regional average.

Committee member Claude Newport asked what efforts the company had taken to reduce its own costs and become more efficient. Allied Waste representative Pete Forst responded that the company had reduced workforce by 47 people in order to help compensate for its loss.

Bill Johnson said he had heard of other cities in similar situations who had not approved increases for their disposal services. Johnson said that in some cases the disposal companies had paid out the contracts and discontinued service. Johnson asked if this was something Allied Waste would do if the changes were not approved. Forst responded that it was not what the company wanted to do, but if it was necessary it would be done.

"It’s not the way we like to do business," said Forst.

Committee Chair Tom Flanigan said the committee needed to know that the rate changes were necessary for the company, because the changes will affect most Carthage citizens. Fagan said that the company would not be able to afford to continue service without the changes.

"We’re trying to get our head back above water," said Fagan.

The committee approved the proposed changes unanimously. Wampler said that the City Attorney David Mouton and Tom Short would need to review the current contract to see if the changes could be added as an addendum or if a new contract would have to be drafted. The changes have been requested for implementation before November 1. Billing for the disposal is handled through the Carthage Water and Electric Plant. If approved the changes would need to be received by CW&EP by October 20th so that the changes could be entered into the billing system.

The committee will forward the item to Council for further consideration.

The Requested Changes.

The contract changes requested by Allied Waste are as follows:

"Delete Article IV in regards to citywide cleanup and replace with one large household item per week - see Exhibit A for exclusions.

"Delete Article XIX concerning yard waste. Yard waste is no longer accepted in Missouri at Sub-Title D Landfills.

"Offer one residential price for service -- $8.00 per month (amended to include senior rate at $6.50)

"Condense commercial hand pick services to one instead of five.

"Increase commercial rates by 14%."

Current rates for residential are; Single $4.13 and Family $6.52. According to Allied Waste there are 1,044 single billed residents and 3,322 family billed residents.

Under the current contract there are five hand-pick commercial rates ranging from $7.21 to $30.60. The changes would limit the hand-pick commercial categories to one; two 35 gallon cans weekly costing $18.14 per month.

Current per-yard commercial rates are offered in seven categories. These categories would remain the same, with a 14% increase to each category. If approved the prices would range from $29.06 to $101.60 monthly.

The Carthage Recycling Drop-off Center and Composting Lot accepts most types of yard waste. Allied Waste recommends that citizens take their yard waste to that facility.

The request from Allied Waste says that better success has been found by providing the service of one bulky item weekly as opposed to offering a city-wide cleanup, as it allows cleanup all year long.

Carthage averages 1,000 tons of trash per month according to Allied Waste.

Stench Report:

Wednesday,
9/20/06

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square

Visitors would come to town and the locals would take them by the town fool’s place to show off a favorite trick. They would walk up to the guy and offer him the choice ‘tween a dime and a nickel. He’d always take the nickel. Most folks figured because it was bigger in size.

After a while one of the local shop owners got ta feelin’ sorry for the guy and told him that the dime was worth twice as much as the nickel.

"I know that," said the so-called fool. "But if I start takin’ the dime, they’ll stop offerin’ me the nickel."

Turns out that rather than the simpleton ever’one thought he was, the fool was really just a long term thinker.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

What would cause a muffler to explode? We just had work done on our ‘93 Saab 900S. It was running very sluggish up hills, and diagnostics showed several leaks in the exhaust pipes leading out of the catalytic converter. After having a new converter and pipes installed, the car was better, but still a little sluggish. Within a week, we were accelerating to get on the highway, and the muffler exploded. It literally burst open along the side. What kind of pressure would have caused this, and should our mechanic have picked up on a muffler problem in the first place? - Angela

RAY: Well, here’s the key question, Angela; After the muffler exploded, did the car run better?

TOM: If so, the muffler might have been the source of the sluggishness. Often what happens is that when a catalytic converter fails, its innards disintegrate and get pushed further down the exhaust system, where they can lodge in the muffler baffles and plug it up.

RAY: That would cause exactly the symptoms you describe - the car would be sluggish when climbing hills or accelerating. If the tailpipe is blocked and the engine’s exhaust can’t get out, the fresh fuel and air have no room to come in.

TOM: So both your catalytic converter AND muffler might have been clogged. And when your mechanic replaced the converter, the acceleration improved a little bit, but the pressure on the muffler multiplied. At some point, the pressure got to be too much and the muffler burst at its weakest point.

RAY: While that makes you unwelcome in most bedroom communities after dark, it also allows the exhaust to escape. So the car should run better. And once you replace the muffler, you should be all set.