Garbage pick-up gets dirty

Pine Haven recently signed another three year contract with Victory for the town’s garbage pick-up. There are, however, issues about which the council is concerned and plans to further investigate.

The town has not had problems with the company before, said Public Works Director Sunny Schell, but the work crew has changed and the company is not being managed by the same individuals. She reported that the duo do not work well with the town’s maintenance people.

One day, she and crewman Randy Flowers drove around town and found 17 garbage dumpsters in the middle of the street. “I specifically told him that I need those cans off the streets when I’m plowing,” she said.

Councilwoman Kristy Speed shared her experience with just this issue: “Our trash can wasn’t by the street, it was more on the side so it wasn’t on the walking path. He literally took our trash can and put it in the middle of the street. He was mad because it wasn’t easy access to him.”

While the contract does not specify the distance the crew has to be willing to walk to reach the dumpsters, the garbage truck crew refuses to walk more than four feet and told Flowers just that.

The other problem with which residents are dealing is the contractor refusing to pick up the full dumpster; instead, they choose how many bags to haul away of the total number set for pick up. Speed faced this as well, “I had five bags in my trash can and he took four.”

Councilwoman Karla Brandenburg suggested a meeting with the contractor and their crew to read through the contract and come to an understanding. Mayor Bill Cunningham and his fellows agreed.

The council is pursuing said meeting to be held before the end of January or during the first week of February.