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Tina Chappel, of Arbyrd, Mo., discusses the city ordinance on trash pick-up and the regulations of Branum's Disposal with the City Council on Monday. Chappel informed the council that many residents within the city could not afford the proposed trash containers. From left, Chappel, City Clerk Erma Branum, Mayor Lonnie Gibson, Jr.
Staff photo by Joshua Payne |
ARBYRD, Mo. -- Citizens of Arbyrd attended their city council meeting on Monday to voice concerns with the city's trash service. Tina Chappel, of Arbyrd, acted as a spokesperson for the residents and reminded the council that many individuals were not able to afford the recommended trash cans.
Chappel approached the city council informing the board that Arbyrd 'has poor people on fixed incomes and they can not afford to buy a $39 dumpster.'
She asked who would be responsible for the purchased dumpsters and trash cans once the trash crews break them.
Chappel continued to ask how big of a container was needed as she showed the council the prices on different sizes of containers from Lowe's in Paragould.
"I can name four or five people off the top of my head that can't afford those," Chappel said.
Mayor Lonnie Gibson, Jr., informed Chappel that placing the trash out in a garbage bag was the concern. He noted that the concern would be the trash sitting by the street for an entire week and spreading across the neighborhood.
"I can't afford to buy trash cans at $50 a piece and if I pay for it I want to know who will replace it if broken," Chappel said.
Gibson noted that the council discussed the issue of the trash for one and one-half hours at the previous city council meeting, because of the increase in the price of the service.
"I know that nobody wants to see somebody on a fixed income receive a ticket from the city," Gibson said.
Alderman Ron Branum informed Chappel that 15 people were notified of the ordinance.
Another individual receiving a letter from the city was JoNell Holland, of Arbyrd, who informed the board that she had not had problems with her neighbors since 1998.
"That is our property and we should be able to have stuff where we want it," Holland said.
She added that Mayor Gibson 'has items in his yard the same way.'
Gibson noted that Holland's statement held some truth, adding that 'if the neighbors started complaining, I would have to change.'
"The problem is we live in a town and when living in a town you stand a chance of your way of life offending someone else," Gibson said. "That's when it is better for people to work it out some way, if it can't that's when the problem goes to ordinances and courts."
The council decided to have Chappel get a petition signed by residents of Arbyrd to approve the city to increase resident's trash service bills by $2 per month. The extra charge will be used for Branum's Disposal to provide containers to the residents, which will ensure that all residents have the same containers.
In other matters that came before the council:
* A one-year contract was approved with the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission;
* The renewal of the contract with Dennis Bridges to maintain the Arbyrd City Web site was approved;
* The Arbyrd 4th Annual Cotton Pickin' Concert was discussed and will be hosted September 12, 2009 with volunteers needed to work the event.
The next Arbyrd City Council meeting is scheduled for September 14, 2009.
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Back in the good old days, folks in Arbyrd all had can piles in their backyards, and they burned their paper trash once or twice a week. Once a year, the senior class of the high school would borrow two or three pickup trucks, and haul off everybody's cans for a couple of dollars fee in order to finance their senior trips.
Nowadays, I suspect, there'd be nosy neighbors complaining about the smell and the varmints of a can pile. Back in those days, though, we had the advantage of our outdoor toilets to cover the smell of the cans. Ahh, to be young again...
Are you serious Lonnie? People are offended by other's all the time most do not agree on things such as religon,how we raise our kids and a ton of other things. So our ways of life will always offend someone somewhere. And a trash can is pretty petty, if your concern is other's being offended please focus on the drug problem, now that offends everyone except the druggies.
What about how Lonnie offended everyone by tearing down the trees on the light road so that he can get maybe three extra rows of corn? Very selfish person to destroy something like that and upset people in all different cities and states who go there often. Someone should make him replant them! What about it Mardon?