JONESBORO — The Jonesboro City Council, in its regular meeting Monday, June 12, approved to authorize the request for proposal process for possibly privatizing sanitation services.
The City can now move forward with getting detailed cost and service breakdowns to consider in the future.
Monday’s vote was tied with Mayor Donya Sarator casting the tiebreaker. Voting for were Alfred Dixon, Tracey Messick, and Ed Wise while voting against were Don Dixon, Bobby Lester, and Billy Powell.
The City of Jonesboro outlined the following benefits of privatization:
— Lower insurance premiums.
— Not having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on new trash trucks in the future. — Not having to spend tens of thousands of dollars on replacement trash cans in the next few years.
— Less fuel and repair costs in Public Works operating expenses.
— Reduced liability potential.
— Less potential for late service or interruptions in service (the City not having enough qualified drivers).
— Probably quicker, more efficient service by experienced companies. —
Labor pool at Public Works could better focus on other necessary duties within the City such as landscaping, maintenance, event setup, etc.
The trash routes now run three days a week, taking up at least three employees for most of the work period those days.
— Improves employee morale at Public Works and reduces employee turnover rate.
— Selling of existing truck(s) could go towards Public Works building improvements.
Here is a glance at some the challenges of having sanitation having done in house, according to the City:
— Garbage trucks legally require a properly licensed CDL driver to operate. Currently, the City has one CDL driver.
— Garbage trucks have specialized hydraulics and other parts and equipment with expensive repairs that cannot…
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