Dodge Center City Council votes to consider organized garbage collection

The Dodge Center City Council approved a resolution that indicates the city’s intent to consider organizing garbage collection. At the council’s previous meeting, members of the council decided that staff should research limiting the number of garbage haulers in Dodge Center. 

The League of Minnesota Cities requires a 60-day period of negotiations with licensed collectors to attempt to come to an organized collection agreement after the city notifies the public and the licensed collectors about their intent to consider organized collection. City Administrator Lee A. Mattson told the council that approval of this resolution would not start the 60 day clock. Mattson also advised that public meetings are held to discuss the the issue. 

Members of the council believed that moving forward with consideration of organizing garbage collection would be the right thing to do. Mayor Bill Ketchum believes that issues with garbage collection could be easier to address with only one collector. 

After the council approved the resolution, Mattson advised the members to develop what they would like to consider and that it would likely be more than a year before any organization would be reached. 

Mattson also presented an amended Airport Capital Improvement Project at the meeting. The CIP projects upcoming changes and costs to the airport. After the Airport Board’s previous meeting, members of the board did not have an official recommendation to the council, but changes were made to the CIP draft. These changes included reducing the Airport Lighting Project budget along with setting an earlier completion date, buying a snowblower in the next five years, add funding for airport fencing improvements and consider upgrades to aging gates. The most immediate projects include concrete crack sealing and joint sealing. The council approved the changes to the CIP. Mattson added that the approval did not mean the CIP is set in stone and that in can be changed down the road. 

Mattson also brought the MPCA’s request for further investigation on ground contamination at the Budget Mart site. The MPCA wants soil borings south and east of the original site to find the extent of the contamination, as well as groundwater and soil samples. This testing will cost about $3,000, and Mattson noted that state money could be applied to the project. The council approved this request. 

Ambulance Director Jared Oscarson asked the council to consider an inventory management software system that would provide real-time data on what