BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Editor
LAKE BUTLER — The Lake Butler City Commission, at its regular October meeting, approved a three-year extension to its agreement for garbage selection services with GFL Solid Waster Southeast (formerly WPA). The city has been using this company for the past six years and has seen no problems with the service provided.
GFL Government Contacts Manager Skip McCall spoke to the commission about its (GFL’s) desire to continue its business relationship with the city. The new contract would be in effect until May 31st, 2025 and offers city residents the same level of service to which it has become accustomed. GFL proposes to keep the residential rate at the same as they have been under the previous contracts with the city, at $8.29 per home, per month – a rate that has remained steady for the past six years (since 2016.
GFL does propose a small increase in commercial rates, making an adjustment of $.50 per yard to them. According to McCall, the increase is needed to help offset the rise in fuel prices. It should be noted that the collection vehicles used by the company run on compressed natural gas as a means of protecting the environment by reducing its carbon footprint.
The new contract does away with the $5,000 per year donation the company has been making to the city for street improvement and maintenance (due to the effects of the large and heavy trucks providing service). McCall, in negotiations with City Manager Dale Walker, sacrificed the donation in favor of keeping the residential rates steady – keeping city residents’ costs down.
Motion was made by City Commissioner Jimmy Beasley to approve the new contract and the motion passed unanimously.
In other discussion and action, the Lake Butler City Commission:
- Voted, on first reading, an ordinance complying with recent state legislation concerning the updating of the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan to include specific wording to provide protection to property rights to residents.
- Voted to approve the purchase of a Hustler Turf Hyperdrive Zero Turn mower. The mower will become part of the city’s working equipment and will be used for cutting the grass in the parks, along road right of ways, around public buildings and other open spaces.
The rear discharge, 60-inch mower bed, 35 horsepower unit lists at $17,693, but can be purchased by the city for $12,916 under the state contract, with the savings on the purchase totaling about $4777. $10,000 of the price is budgeted for, leaving $2,916 for the city move from another account/line item to cover the purchase. Motion was made by City Commissioner Annette Redman to approve the purchase and the budget adjustment and the motion was passed unanimously by the board. It will take about eight weeks to be delivered. The purchase will help to forward the city’s goal of standardizing equipment as much as is possible.
- Appointed five of the eight nominees who have volunteered to serve on the city’s Historical Preservation Board. The local residents chosen are: Bo Bayer, Monica Bayer, Robert Driggers, Ryan Perez and Ami Hassie. These new board members will work with City Manager Dale Walker and Mayor Jack Schenck to identify historic buildings in the city, help the owners seek grant funds and monitor the repairs and work done on historic properties to ensure their adherence to historical standards.
