Sheldon, Iowa — Confusion over recycling schedules, not enough room in the containers and uncertainty about what to recycle…..according to Sheldon City Manager Scott Wynja, these were the main complaints he saw in the recycling survey forms turned in by Sheldon residents. Much of the council discussion was centered on how to get schedule information out to the public. Both of the Sheldon garbage haulers said it was really easy. “If your garbage pickup day is Monday, your recycling pickup days are the first and third Thursdays of the Month. If your garbage pickup day is Tuesday, your recycling pickup days are the second and fourth Thursdays of the Month. There are no pickups on the fifth Thursday which occurs about every three months. But the council members wanted more information presented on the media, plus the city website and possibly a calendar inserted with the water bills. And people who still have questions should call their hauler. Some of the survey respondents complained that they should not have to pay for recycling, but it was explained that the haulers do not charge for hauling recycled items.
Many complaints were also voiced about the big container in the City Parking Lot. The container fills up fast, but cannot be emptied until a date specified by the landfill. The City Manager stated that the container is there as a convenience, but curbside recycling should still be primary.
Some residents also asked why there is still a fuel surcharge on their garbage bill after gas prices have gone down. It was explained that the surcharge is based on the fuel price on the fifteenth of the preceding month and the price of diesel fuel was either $2.69 or $2.89 on December 15th, which makes the surcharge 50 cents. If it would have been $2.49 or lower there would be no surcharge.
The council also voted to make a change on the 34th Avenue Median between Taco Johns and Mc Donalds. Public Works DirectorTodd Uhl told the council that this rock-filled sector was high maintenance and he suggested several alternatives. The Council decided to replace the rock with colored concrete at a cost of about $9,500.00.
