Businesses will have to have their own garbage provider or contract with Waste Pro and the city for a 96-gallon can effective Jan. 1, 2018.
The Columbia Board of Aldermen set the date last week during discussions with Chris Lockwood of Waste Pro.
“I sent copies of the garbage ordinance over if you want to vote on it,” City Attorney Lawrence Hahn said. “All the new ordinance is going to do is state that the city will no longer provide two-yard dumpsters. Our current garbage ordinance says that on commercial garbage we do 96 gallon can or a two-yard dumpster. That’s all we do. As I understand it, we will continue doing 96 gallon, but we will simply cease to do the two-yard. All I’m doing is taking it out and saying we no longer do the two-yard dumpsters, but leaving the 96 gallon cans in. It will state that those who want two-yard containers can go through a private contractor. Really the only thing that you have to decide is if you want to eliminate two-yard dumpsters and agree to amend the ordinance.”
Ward 4 Alderman Mike Smith said the elimination of the two-yard dumpsters was what the Board has discussed in a previous meeting.
“It’s going to save the city money and at the same time, it’s not going to cost our constituents any more,” he said. “It will just go from a different way of billing and a different way of picking it up.”
Mayor Justin McKenzie said the city needed to give customers enough time to establish new service.
“Jan. 1 would be a good time,” Lockwood said. “You could make it effective with the start of the year.”
Smith then made the motion to approve the amended ordinance with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2018. Ward 3 Alderwoman Anna Evans seconded the motion, which was then approved unanimously.
Lockwood also discussed several other matters.
“If customers do go out and set something up prior to the effective date, they will have to let the city know,” he said. “Then when you find out, if it’s another hauler, you will notify us. If it is us that is setting up something, then we will be doing the adjustments internally. We will also be able to make the house count reduction effective beginning this month.”
The next regular meeting of the Columbia Board of Aldermen is set for 4 p.m. on Nov. 7 at City Hall.
