The City of Smithville will be getting a new garbage truck for the sanitation department by June 1. The 2500 curbside trash containers to be distributed to households and businesses throughout the city have already arrived.
During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Smithville Aldermen voted to transfer a $400,000 certificate of deposit from the bank to the city’s general fund to pay for the truck and cans. The total cost to the city for the new garbage truck and the 2500 trash containers is $313,064.
Unlike the city’s current garbage trucks, this new one will be manned only by the driver and equipped with an automated side loader for picking up curbside residential household garbage.
During the December meeting, the aldermen voted to purchase the garbage truck, a 24 cubic yard tandem axle Peterbilt 348, from Municipal Equipment, Inc. of Knoxville. Although the bid was highest of the six submitted at $192,564, City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson suggested it would be the best buy for the city.
The aldermen also voted to purchase 2500 curbside trash containers from Municipal Equipment, Inc. for $120,500 which was the lowest of the five bids submitted.
During Monday night’s meeting, Hendrixson recommended making the purchase from the CD saying it was earning less than 1% in the bank. Before the city starts the new garbage pickup system, an ordinance will be adopted by the aldermen and residents will be sent instructions on where to place their new garbage cans by the streets in order for the new truck to easily be able to access them.
Each home or business will be assigned one garbage can and it must be used but residents and businesses may purchase more cans if they wish.
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