Garbage complaints piling up
By JOHN REED
KNOX - The Knox City Council has asked Kevin Overmeir from Summit Waste to attend a council meeting to discuss complaints about garbage pickup.
�I have had more complaints by more people than in all the years I�ve been on the council,� Councilwoman Dixie Lockridge said.
Summit Waste is under contract with the city to pick up garbage and recyclables.
�I�ve had a lot of complaints. Sometimes it�s seven o�clock at night� when they come to collect,� Councilwoman Linda Berndt said. That causes confusion about when to put garbage out, she explained.
The irony of the problem is that garbage placed on the street in the morning may miss pickup, but if the resident puts garbage out the night before, it may not be picked up until the following evening.
Two primary complaints from residents were mentioned: Problems with being missed for collection, and concerns about recycling not being recycled.
�How can you miss a recycling tub sitting right on Hwy. 35? They�ll miss garbage and recycling both at the same house,� City Clerk Ray Walton said.
Recycling problems, however, may be more of a misunderstanding, Walton said, acknowledging that Summit initially may have mixed the two on occasion.
�Recycling) is going in a garbage truck, but there�s only recycling in that truck. And if recyclables are too contaminated, they go in the garbage,� he said.
Walton also explained that waste firms now use a �shaking� system to separate recyclables.
Summit�s waste is hauled to Kingsbury in LaPorte County, to a transfer station. Recyclables go on to an Illinois separation center.
Mayor Nancy Dembowski said that Summit is cooperative and responds quickly to problems, but the issue is trying to stop problems before they arise.
�We�ve had complaints. My experience is that they correct it pretty quickly,� the mayor said.
At this point, it is not certain what meeting Summit Waste will be attending. The next City Council meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, at City Hall.
The Council last week reduced Summit Waste�s �performance bond� (a type of insurance) by $103,350. Summit has a five-year bond, and the amount of the reduction reflects the cost of their contract for the first year.
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