By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Sherwood is spending more than $1 million to convert to an automated-refuse collection.
The city council on Monday authorized spending $1.107 million in a lease-purchase agreement for three Freightliner garbage trucks with an automated arm to pick up trash cans and 10,000 green trash carts.
The carts will all have serial numbers and be assigned to specific addresses.
Alderman Sheila Sulcer pointed out that the expense is no greater than what the city is already spending on garbage pickup.
Mayor Virginia Hillman added that the city would save money because each truck would have just one driver-operator rather than the current three-person team.
The automated system, which would require residents to bring the green cart out to the street curb on their designated pickup day, should also reduce workers’ compensation claim.
The trucks and carts will come in during the summer, and the carts delivered to residents sometime in late August. The new pickup system is projected to start Sept. 1.
The council approved a five-year lease agreement for the trucks and carts through Bancorp South with an interest of 3.62 percent and annual payments of $246,610.
In other council business:
– The council passed a resolution prioritizing its major road work, when and if funds become available.
According to the resolution, the city’s first concern is Brockington Road, followed by Oakbrooke Avenue, Maryland Avenue, Woodruff Avenue and Jacksonville Cut-Off.
According to the resolution, “the growth of the city has resulted in need for significant improvement of existing streets.”
The streets listed and their order was decided after a study by the city’s street committee.
– Aldermen passed resolutions condemning the structures at 9607 Hwy. 107 and 4600 Rixie Road, Lot 304 as public nuisances.
The owners have 30 days to bring the structures up to code or tear them down. If neither is done, then the city will go in and remove the structures.
The structure at 9607 Hwy. 107 is owned by Collins Development Co., and the one at 4600 Rixie Road is owned by Darryl Copeland, Chas Wakefield and Ted and Carol Merrill.
