Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council Talks Trash

It was a trashy meeting for the Gurdon City Council Monday night as the panel spent a considerable amount of time discussing garbage problems.

Councilman Mickey Jones broached the topic saying some of her constituents are physically unable to get their portable trash bins back inside their homes once they put them out on the curb for pickup.

She asked what the city and council could do to correct the problem.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said the permanent trash bins, primarily those made of wood and wire, need to be removed from curbside and the city right of way.

Those made with wire, he said, can rip the trash bags, leaving the garbage spilled on the ground inside the bin.

It would be easier on the sanitation workers if all trash was left at the curb in bags and not put in any container at all, he said.

Jones put forth a motion to have all city residents put their garbage out at curbside in bags only to see how this would work.

However, her motion died for lack of a second.

Smith said the city doesn't actually need a policy as people can set their trash bags at the curb now and not use any type of container.

The panel then discussed who would be responsible for cleaning up the mess should an animal rip into the bags and scatter the garbage inside all over the streets.

Smith's response was the city would take care of it should the resident involved call and report it.

The discussion translated into no change in garbage collection at all.

But, the council did give Smith permission to contact the city's attorney and check into the legalities of fining those who have unsightly trash bins on city right of ways. This will be discussed again at the May meeting, with an ordinance possibly drawn up for passage.

Street Superintendent Jim Caldwell said the recent curbside pickup campaign went well. Street Department personnel, he said, picked up about 25 tons of metal, along with answering 140 calls for pickups.

Some of the calls, he continued, required two or three truck loads before everything was cleared away. "It was as big a turnout as we've ever had," Caldwell said.

Councilman Johnny McGuirt said people seem to be saving items for the pickup dates instead of dumping them on county roads.

Caldwell, talking about work the department is currently doing, said the Old Whelen Road project is coming along as crews can work more in the dry weather.

Smith said drainage work was done first, with ditches being dug out and trees removed.

He will ask Clark County Judge Floyd "Buddy" Manning if the county road department can help hard surface this road, possibly getting it chipped and sealed.

Roy Rickets, speaking on behalf of the Airport Commission, said this department is doing well financially and recently was approved for a 90-10 grant to have an overlay done on the entire runway.

The commission's 10 percent, he said, is from a donation originally made by the Cabe Foundation for the purpose of helping obtain matching grants.

The money has been in the bank drawing interest and, Rickets said, there is now more than $90,000 in the fund for airport upgrades.

Under the topic of animal control, the council was informed some 195 dogs have been removed from Gurdon since the department began operating. About 15 dogs have been adopted or reclaimed by their owners as well.

But, it was pointed out, it appears as though dogs are being brought into the city limits from outlying areas and being dumped.

A petition is ready to get the area for the Rose Hedge Cemetery annexed into the city limits, Smith said. The petitions could be brought before the council at the May meeting.

Nothing, though, has been heard from residents on Highway 67 in the area of Gurdon High School and Cabe Middle School for annexation.

It was discussed at earlier meetings some residents in this area wanted to be annexed into Gurdon as both of these schools are outside the city limits now.

Smith said if these people want to be annexed into Gurdon they need to be working on it now. If it's not done by Dec. 31, 1999, he said, he will fight any future attempts for annexation of this area.

"We're responsible for taking care of the city," Smith said. "If we annex this area after Jan. 1, 2000, the city would be responsible for maintaining it and would be getting no turnback funds to help."

The only assistance the city would receive to help maintain the area would be from property taxes paid.

Annexation, he said, is a lengthy process. Once the petitions have been signed, they must be approved by the Clark County Quorum Court and then by the city council. "They're running out of time," Smith said.

He also gave everyone the news cable customers will be getting two new channels as of May 1, but the cable bill will be going up by $1.56 per month as well.

There was some very good news for the council as well. Smith said State Rep. Percy Malone worked to help the city get state funding in the amount of about $250,000 to help continue renovations at City Hall.

Smith's idea is to use some of the money to construct a drive through window at the water department so residents can pay their bills without getting out of their vehicles.

He would also like to see some of the money spent to buy a backup generator for emergency use at City Hall, as well as getting some new furniture for the meeting room.

The city, though, would not get all the money in one lump sum. Instead it would receive half in June and the remainder later in the year. Gurdon would have up to two years to spend the funds, but the money could only be spent to upgrade City Hall.

Emergency warning sirens were ordered in January, but, at the time, the city was told it would be 10 weeks before they would be ready.

Well, there has been another delay and it will be a longer wait before the sirens are ready. Part of the reason is because the council specified Whelen sirens and the manufacturer has ran out.

But, the manufacturer is in the process of making new sirens and when this is done Gurdon will have its two shipped in.

Jones said residents in the Sixth Street area have been complaining about a resident blocking off the alley, as this person apparently considers it part of their property.

She said people have the right to be able to use the alley, but can't as it has been blocked. She further stated utilities run down this alley and, should there be a problem, utility companies can't get through either.

Smith said he would contact the person involved and see what can be done about getting the barricade removed.

An air conditioning unit has been ordered for the Cabe Baseball Complex concession stand, and should be installed soon. The unit is being purchased