by Olivia P. Tucker
Intern Reporter
Exploring if an outside contractor providing weekly trash pick up can save the city money was approved at the Austin City Council’s monthly meeting last Tuesday, May 10.
Mayor Roger Hawkins said that he and Chris Fugate, the clerk treasurer, have spoken to at least three companies for the trash pick up.
“We got some pretty good prices back,” said Hawkins. “Looking at this year, this is an opportune time to take advantage, an opportunity to do a cleaner, safer operation instead of just trash on the ground everywhere.”
Currently the city provides its own municipal trash pickup and wants to investigate if there are cost savings in using a trash collection contractor.
According to a legal notice found on Page 6 of this week’s Times, June 3 is the deadline for trash collection proposals to be submitted. The proposals will be opened and reviewed at the council’s June 14 meeting.
In other business, Austin Chief of Police Shawn Hurt provided the council with monthly updates of the police department’s activities. The department received 447 calls for service, made 32 arrests, issued 18 traffic citations and five warnings, investigated five accidents and took 38 reports taken throughout the last month.
Hurt said that officer Cody Kelly will be out for the rest of the year due to a non-employment injury. He recommended Josh Vires to be approved for P.E.R.F to be employed saying it would take up to 6 weeks before Vires can start police training.
In a final action, the council unanimously approved locking in interest rates at 3.1% with New Washington State Bank.