Mayor Ernie Wiggins and Street Department Superintendent Lacy Francis expressed their concerns Friday regarding the non-compliance of trash regulations by many residents.

During the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting, Wiggins stressed that all trash picked up by the city must be placed in 32-gallon covered containers with handles.

"People have been informed of our requirements, but some still continue to place their trash out in just the bags," Wiggins said. "Before you know it, animals get into it and it's all over the street. Our street department shouldn't have to deal with that kind of mess."

Francis also stressed that no trash container should weigh more than 40 pounds.

"Leaving trash out in just bags or making it too heavy is a real hazard to my workers," Francis said. "Bagged trash could contain broken glass, needles - anything that could cut someone, and making it too heavy tires my guys and could give them back problems."

Both Francis and Wiggins encouraged residents to abide by the requirements to help prevent city workers from injury and speed up route times.

In other street department matters, the board approved a request from Francis to allow new hirings for leaf clean-up employees. Beginning next week, the city will begin to dispose of all leaves placed on the city curbs.

Francis said routes will pick up along streets initially before collecting in alleyways. To prevent clogging storm drains, Francis urged that residents place leaf piles on top of curbs instead of in streets.

Leaf collection will continue as long as weather conditions remain satisfactory.

The board also approved a request from Fire Chief Matt Warren, permitting the department to sell a 1977 ladder truck, an item Warren hopes to sell for $1,000.

Members encouraged Warren to research various auctions to acquire the best agreed selling price.

An additional request from Warren for the board to approve a contract with Phend & Brown was tabled. The proposed project would repave the parking lot of the East Center Street fire station. After Francis said the street department could help with the project to lower costs, the board decided to await new estimated costs before making a final vote on the matter.

The board also:

• Approved three contracts with the parks department to cover dance instruction, bands and catering for the Big Swing Fling scheduled for Nov. 11.

One additional contract was approved for the department to allow radio advertisement for the Christmas Countdown event.

• Approved a contract with Quality Environmental Professionals Inc., Indianapolis, to provide consulting services relating to final closure of underground storage tanks, which were previously removed from the waste water treatment plant. Service costs for the project total $6,300.

• Approved a request from Police Capt. Perry Hunter for the acceptance of grant funding from the Indiana Highway Safety Program for Operation Pullover.

Hunter also was allowed by the board to accept a check from the Wal-Mart Foundation for $2,500. The donation will be used to purchase and replace computer monitors at an existing police work station.

Present board members were Wiggins, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith.

The next meeting is Nov. 4. [[In-content Ad]]