WILKIE — According to Connor Piller, the Town of Wilkie assistant administrator, the town is looking at the cost of the current composting program.
“I’m currently working on the costing for compost, and tree pick up,” Piller said at the town's Monday, April 24 council meeting as he read through the manager’s meeting report.
Mayor David Ziegler asked why management is looking at this.
“It’s to see whether or not it was worth it to continue on with the tree and compost pickup," Piller said.
Piller is basing his costing off equipment rental rates, fuel mileage and amortization, with Councillor Alex Majewski reminding council that Bobby MacCuish, the town's public works manager, had questions about it in the past.
“One of Bobby’s questions was, ‘We seem to be the only community that seems to be doing that,’” Councillor Majewski said.
Some councillors inquired as to why costing was important, with Councillor Clarke Jackson adding that he isn’t sure it’s about the price. Lana Gerein, the town’s administrator, agreed, saying,
“It’s the time (spent) … it doesn’t hurt to see what it’s actually costing," Gerein said.
“Worst case scenario, we can move towards a more of a communal composting pile … I’m sure most people would be happy to pile communally rather than have their own process,” Councillor Lucas Jaindal said.
“Will they after years of service?” Mayor Ziegler asked.
Council discussed various aspects of changes to composting, including how individuals would transport compost, if there is space for community composting plots, and if it would save time and money, or if it’s still the same amount of compost regardless.
“They (Unity) still do the compost part, right? They still do the garbage pickup on their own. And we do the opposite,” Les Henderson, the town’s deputy mayor until the end of April, said.
“Some of the ideas that we have and our public works have as well, about cost savings … should be brought up at a town meeting. Then it’s done. Get the public's view on it and see what they think,” Councillor Jackson said.
“We need to have the costing in order to do that,” Gerein reminded the council.
The council then discussed the green bin program referenced by other municipalities at SUMA, which amounted to sometimes $10 a month for residents.
Pillar noted that he has spoken to Loraas about pricing, but their computer system has been down for about two weeks.
“(I) should hear back from them fairly soon,” Piller said.
