The Shadow
Covington City Council discussed several issues during a Tuesday night meeting.
Members of council discussed a proposed refuse collection and rates scenario that would assist property owners in cleaning their property.
The proposed policy states that while a resident may have inappropriate material for normal refuse collection, the city will offer a bulk refuse and brush collection for residential customers.
All items that are to be collected should be set out no earlier than 7 p.m. the night before collection, or no later than 7 a.m. the morning of collection.
Items eligible for collection are: bulk items, non-metal bulk items and brush. Bulk items include household furniture, mattresses, box springs and appliances.
Non-metal bulk items include box springs, household items, in addition to furniture and mattresses. Piles of tree branches or shrubbery that cannot fit into a standard trash bag or can qualify as brush that can be collected.
The policy also states that brush can be no longer than four feet long and/or wider than three inches in diameter. Any brush that has been cut for any fee cannot be serviced by the city under this policy.
The policy also encouraged individuals to contact Covington Public Works to gain information on proper disposal of appliances, as they will be collected separately.
Materials that are organic, concrete building, come from remodeling or tearing down structures, and car parts cannot be picked up by the city.
Private contractors hired by residents are considered responsible for the disposal of brush, limbs, yard debris, debris from remodels or demolitions must be delivered to the landfill for proper disposal under the policy.
The rates that have been set for this proposed policy are listed as:
•Businesses with dumpsters will receive one free pickup per week; additional pickups will have a minimum charge of $30 per Dumpster.
•Businesses without Dumpsters will receive one free pickup per week; additional pickups will have a minimum charge of $40 per hour.
•Extra refuse pickups for private residences by city personnel will be $30 for the first load, $65 for the second and third load, and any pickup after the third will have a price that will be set at the discretion of the director of Covington Public Works, and will be determined by load size and personnel required.
•Extra refuse pickups for private residences-leaving a vehicle will be $15 for the first load, $50 for the second and any additional load.
•Use of special equipment such as a backhoe to safely load any refuse onto a city vehicle will have an additional charge of $65 per load.
City Manager J.B. Broughman asked if Director of Central Accounting B.B. Bryant would have an involvement in this project, as a January or February goal for adopting the policy has been set. Broughman also said that this project is not to make money, but to get the community clean.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, a representative from MeadWestvaco asked council to approve $288 million in Environmental Improvement Revenue Bonds to finance the boiler project at MeadWestvaco. All council members approved the request.
Council was also updated on ongoing E-911 facility negotiations with Alleghany County.
Jon Lanford, assistant Alleghany County administrator, presented his findings to the members of council.
Lanford said 11 sites were evaluated for the E-911 site and the top four locations that were determined were the former Falling Spring Elementary School, Mountain View Elementary School, Adams Asphalt, and Nettleton Foundation.
Falling Spring emerged as the new top location site because Pitzer Ridge was proven to be not cost effective. Falling Spring Elementary School also came out on top in the site selection study due to figures showing that it would cost a total of around $3.5 million to complete the project. The other three locations had a total costs ranging from $6 to $7 million for project completion.
In other business, council approved an ordinance exempting certain rehabilitated residential properties from taxation.
• Approved a continuing disclosure compliance policy.
• Appointed Lisa Hicks to the Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board.
• Scheduled a meeting with the Covington City School Board Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. at Covington High School.
• Discussed possible purchase of body cameras for the Covington Police Department.
