Quincy purchases new dump truck

Officials believe citizens are taking advantage of trash-pick up, causing wear and tear on public works equipment, and costing the city “tremendous amounts of money.”

Quincy officials recently approved the purchase of a new grapple truck and a new pickup truck for the public works department.

The need for new equipment prompted conversation on the board about the public works department’s additional needs to satisfy the demands of the city.

During a regular meeting on October 26, Public Works Director Reggie Bell appeared before the board, requesting the approval for the purchase of a 2022 Freightliner grapple truck, and a Ford Super Duty F-250 crew cab work truck.

Bell said repairs and maintenance to the city’s currently in-use 2010 grapple truck is costing the city tremendous amounts of money, and Bell added that the city only had one fully functioning grapple truck, which was purchased after Hurricane Michael.

Bell said the 2010 grapple truck has a continuous oil leak and broken frame.

The 2022 Freightliner grapple truck, which costs $175,000 will replace a 2010 Freight Liner grapple truck.

The crew cab truck will cost the city an additional $38,821.30

“Does the wear and tear on our grapple truck…does it have anything to do with the amount of debris and trees that we’re picking up, that we wouldn’t normally pick up, that should be the citizens’ responsibility?” Commissioner Angela Grant Sapp asked Bell.

Sapp also asked if there is a plan in place to help citizens understand that the city won’t be picking up trees that they have cut down in their yards and placed on the side of the road.

Bell said picking up large logs has caused more wear and tear on the grapple truck than normal.

He also said the public works department will be meeting to address the issue of customers not following the city codes for trash pick-up.

Mayor Ronte Harris asked Bell if the city could use an additional grapple truck to handle more.

“Would the investment in another truck be beneficial to satisfy the load?” Harris asked.

Sapp said the actions of citizens and their dependence on public works to pick up debris has become a code enforcement issue, as she sees people dumping debris from elsewhere at their homes, which she said makes the public works grapple truck come back several times a week to pick up from the same house.

“That’s not a need or demand of the customer, that’s the customer taking advantage of a service,” Sapp said.

Sapp said even going to a site and picking up two or three loads and having to go back and pick up four or five more loads takes away from the next customer who needs to be serviced and puts the public works department off their schedule, and delays pick-ups.

“If we can get our customers to comply with code then we could be much more efficient in picking up what we have to pick up,” Sapp said.

City Manager Jack McLean said another is the fee for pick-up is only $4.

“Right now we’re picking up way more than $4 a month from all of the homes and things that continue to do it,” McLean said, who then suggested raising the fee.

Commissioner Freida Bass-Prieto said she’s also seeing an issue with citizens throwing out piles of junk and expecting public works to pick it up.

“There’s a house right here in my district; I went by and it looked like they had cleaned out - I mean it looked like it had to be 10 to 15 feet long, and 5 or 6 feet high with junk,” Bass-Prieto said, adding that she saw the city sanitation worker come by, and he had to get out of his truck and pitch the garbage into the grapple truck.

“And I kid you not, the next day, they had another pile just like that,” Bass-Prieto said.

Bass-Prieto said she thinks that’s where the code needs to come into play.

“Yes, we pick up two scoops a week yard debris, but if you want something like that, if you’re going to remodel your house and put all the trash along the side of the rode, then that’s a special pick up, then you get charged for it,” Bass-Prieto added.

Bass-Prieto said citizens aren’t taking their trash to the dump anymore, because they’re putting it on the side of the road for the city to pick up, and that the problem started after Hurricane Michael.

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve both purchases.

They also agreed to look into what demand is for debris removal and come back and discuss what needs to be improved.

The commissioners also voted 3-2 to postpone approving two applicants for the second-round city’s Anti-Crime Prevention grant.

The commission has allocated a total of $20,000 for the program.

The city will fund eligible family-based prevention/community programs to help reduce gang activity and gun violence.

Local non-profits 501(c) 3 organizations, local governments and school districts that serve Gadsden County can apply.

The amount of each grant will not exceed $10,000.

Commissioner Albritton-Canidate recommended postponing voting on the matter to make sure other organizations will have the opportunity to apply.

Organizations who have already submitted applications do not have to resubmit.

McLean said the city will advertise the Crime Prevention Seed Grant Program on Facebook, in local newspapers, and he said the city will send out information with this month’s utility bills.

“We can get 20 applicants back, what do they get $1,000 a piece, $900 a piece?” Harris asked.

McLean said the city has a rubric, so only those who meet the scoring requirements will receive funding.

Erin Hill - Gadsden County News Service

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Quincy purchases new dump truck

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DESTINATION: Georgia Museum of Agriculture brings visitors to the 1800s pioneering communities of the south

Plane crash in west Gadsden County claims one life

Plane crash in west Gadsden County claims one life

Recommended

“Steak Out” dinner held to support Shade Tobacco Museum

Gadsden County students named to Tallahassee Community College’s fall Dean’s List

Popular News

Newsletter

Category

Site Links

About Us

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

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