Garbage Service Topic at City Council Meeting

The Milbank City Council held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 8, in the Milbank Visitors Center. Council members present included: Mike Hanson, Joel Foster, Josh Karels, Scott Hoeke, and Steve Wiener. Council member James Johnson was absent.  

Dan Behnke district manager for Waste Management, a new garbage service company operating in Milbank, attended the meeting to answer questions and explain some of the changes made to garbage service in the city.  Mayor Raffety reminded attendees that the City of Milbank doesn’t choose the garbage carrier.  It only provides licensing. 

Behnke assured the group the rates would remain the same for the first 12 months of his service. After a year, he said, the rates could increase five to seven percent because of the cost of doing business, which includes factors such as an increase in landfill usage costs and equipment. He noted there is no rental fee charged on the 96-gallon carts delivered and no removal charge. He also stated if the lid doesn’t close they don’t add an additional fee. 

Behnke said the containers are required for Waste Management’s automated pickup system, and in a volume-based service, containers are mandatory for a company to judge how much waste is being collected. “When Milbank users provided their own containers, there was no gauge.”  He said one of the reasons garbage carts were delivered to residents without warning was because Dennis (Wittrock) wants to retire. “He told me his last vacation was when he went to Desert Storm and that was over 30 years ago. I can’t  blame the guy for wanting to retire.”

Councilman Weiner pointed out that he and other residents had paid for three months of service in December with the expectation their garbage would be picked up two times per week.  Now, their garbage will only get picked up once a week.
Behnke replied by saying, “These cans are 96 gallons. So, they hold three times what the typical trash can most residents were using could hold.” 

Councilman Karels asked Behnke what happens when pickup day falls on a holiday.  Behnke said pickup then happens the next day. “A Friday holiday will mean your pick up day moves to Saturday.” Behnke ended the discussion with, “After April 15, there will be an opportunity for people to call to exchange their container for a smaller one.” 

Items on the consent agenda approved by the council included:        

1. Approved hiring MHS student Savannah Osowski for the parks and recreation staff as a lifeguard at $11 per hour.
2. Authorized Mayor Raffety to sign the South Dakota DOT agreement for the permanent closure of the public highway-rail grade crossing at Eastman Street.
3. Declared the double glass doors from the  former Milbank Chamber gift store and Milbank Visitors Center as surplus.
4. Authorized  advertising regarding the special malt beverage license for Farley Fest on July 31 and August 1.
5. Authorized advertising for bids for the West Seventh Avenue reconstruction project.
6. Authorized advertising for bids for AWOS III construction at the Milbank Airport.
7. Authorized advertising for a part-time personal trainer at Unity Health & Fitness.
8. Approved the change from hourly pay to a salary for Cody Pohlman, director of the Milbank Parks and Recreation Department.  He will now be paid $3,916.98 per month.
9. Approved the change from part time to full time for Nicole Berg at $14.76 per hour.

During the fire report, councilman Hanson said Milbank Fire and Rescue has decided to discontinue using sirens during the nighttime hours and will rely on the firefighters’ pagers. The fire siren will only be sounded at the order of the chief and only when a fire is significant enough to warrant it. Fire Chief Schuelke explained the fire department wants to accommodate area residents and seeks to avoid having the fire siren confused with a severe storm warning siren. Hanson also said the fire department and law enforcement are considering dates for drone training and a Northeast Fire District school is planned for April. 

In other business, the parks and recreation department reported the ice rink was closed on February 22, due to warmer weather.  The board approved a permit for the It Only Takes a Spark Cancer Walk at Lake Farley for June 11-12.  Use of the Milbank Visitor Center parking lot and community room was approved for the Milbank Area Chamber’s grain bin simulator demonstration. A special event permit will be issued for a wedding reception (Hamman) to be held at Lake Farley on August 21. A special alcohol license for use in conjunction with the wedding reception was requested by Cheri Meagher of Speedway Bar & Grill. It  was also approved. The council approved the payment of bills in the amount of $174,853.52

The council also approved signing a letter of intent for obtaining a report on the actual cost of the construction of the  American Legion Baseball complex.  (The approval was later vetoed by Mayor Raffety subsequent to the adjournment of the council meeting.  See an update about the LOI elsewhere on The Valley Express.)
The next regular meeting of the Milbank City Council is scheduled for Monday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the Milbank Visitors Center