Trash Fails to Move • Tower Paintings Up In The Air

A veil of silence fell over the regular City Council meeting several times last Tuesday evening in Council chambers. As a result, the ordinance to renew a contract for solid waste removal with American Disposal Services failed in a quirk of procedure and a decision as to whether the City would contribute over $11,000 toward a stylized painting on the new water towers remained up in the air.

There was little discussion concerning the controversial contract renewal with American. Council member Trish Burgi-Brewer, who has opposed the contract for several reasons, decline to speak, during one pause of silence, even when Mayor Johnson directly asked if she would like to comment on the subject.

News that American had announced a planned merger with another national hauler was acknowledged and City Attorney David Dally clarified that it would not affect the contract if enacted. Council member Donna Harlan moved for an expanded hold harmless clause in the contract and that was approved as an amendment, but little was discussed about the merits or problems perceived with the contract itself.

The strategy behind the silence became apparent at the vote. Burgi-Brewer, Harlan, Bastin, and Stearnes voted against. Council member Jackie Boyer was absent leaving only five votes for approval. Council bills require six votes to pass and therefor failed. If Boyer had been present the ordinance in all likelihood would have passed no matter which way she voted. If she voted for it would have resulted in the six votes needed. If she had voted against, the resulting 5-5 vote would have moved the question to the Mayor to break the tie and he has indicated he considers the contract favorably. The Mayor put the issue of a trash contract back to the Public Works Committee. Committee Chair Bill Fortune stated that two members of the Committee will not be available for their regular meeting next week. The current contract expires at the end of September so a timely resolution is necessary. The possibility of reconsideration at the next meeting was raised by the Mayor, but the seven votes required to reconsider may be elusive. At least two of the group that includes Boyer and the four against must vote for the reconsideration. There were no alternative options offered during another pause of silence after the issue failed.

Water Tower Paintings Up In The Air.

Council member Art Dunaway, who is liaison to the CW&EP Board, reported to the Council that the award winning design for a logo to be painted on the two new water towers would cost over $25,000 to be painted. A decision is needed immediately so the painting can be completed before water is pumped into the south tower which is currently being base painted. After the tower is filled, the tower "sweats" and would have to be drained before additional paint could be applied.

A report from Marge Housh, business manager for CW&EP, showed that the CW&EP Board had voted to contribute $3,000 toward each painting for a total of $6,000. Housh said a private contributor had pledged another $5,000 and there was a total of $3,200 originally included in the tower contract for signage. This total of $14,200 still left over $11,000 needed if the paintings were to be completed. During another long silent pause, there was no motion to allocate the funding from the City coffers. There was then some discussion about using the pledged funds to paint one tower with the hope of raising more funds for the second.

Council member Mike Harris asked if vinyl lettering had been considered. He said that many logos on aircraft and NASCAR race cars used the vinyl lettering and designs and felt it might be a less expensive alternative. He also wondered if it could be applied after the tank was filled.

Dunaway suggested that Harris investigate the possibility and report back to the Council. Mayor Johnson reminded the Council that funding was still an issue. Dunaway suggested a special Council meeting be called after Harris reported back. There was no other action taken on the issue.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

If ya enjoy a good game a chess or checkers, or the strategy involved in football or baseball games, the maneuvers at the last few Council meetin's prob'ly struck your interest. Carthage has a long history of debatin' the trash issue over the last quarter of a century. The difference 'tween this issue and a Sunday afternoon game if we as a community have ta live with the results for the next five years. We can't just leave the parkin' lot and not be concerned with the outcome tomorrow. The real question now that the trash haulin' contract is at least blocked for the time bein' is exactly what is gonna happen come the first of October. Along with the Council's intrigue of "playin' the game" comes the responsibility to come up with a winner not in theory, but as a practical solution for the community. It's an easy task to vote "no," tougher to put together an acceptable compromise.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin'.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I'm a registered nurse and I have a question that is somewhat medical in origin. The appendix is an organ that is believed to have once had a function but is now without purpose (except as an income generator for the surgeon who removes it). And yet, there it is- a stubborn piece of our anatomy, refusing to succumb to the laws of evolution. Is there a part in a car that has not evolved over time but continues to exist even though we don't need it anymore?-Linda

TOM: Great question, Linda! The "part" that comes to mind is the parking lights.

RAY: Right. In the old, old days, when my brother still had a few brain cells left, cars were not that common. So when you parked yours at the side of the road, you left your "parking lights" on. That way, when Ichabod Crane came whizzing by in his buggy, he wouldn't smash into you.

TOM: There's also one other part that was starting to go the way of the parking lights but has recently had a reprieve: the cigarette lighter.

RAY: Apparently, fewer people are smokers these days, and many people decided they didn't want cigarette lighters in their car.

TOM: So the manufacturers figured out that by slapping a plastic cover on the cigarette-lighter socket, they could save the cost of the lighter itself and brag about their "power ports." So that's a part whose function has changed and evolved with time.

RAY: Sort of like my brother's head. It was once believed to have some thinking function. But now we mainly use it as a hat rack.

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