Residential rates for trash pickup rising for county customers

Apr. 25—Residential rates for trash pickup are rising slightly for customers of the Cullman County Sanitation Department, thanks to an inflation-adjusted increase approved by the Cullman County Commission this month.

At its April regular meeting, the commission approved a revision to the department's rate sheet, which affects commercial fees for rolloff containers and other large-scale services. As for residential services, the commission approved a rate increase pegged to annual changes in the nationwide Consumer Pice Index. The inflation-scaled increase will see senior-discounted trash pickup rates rise by 25 cents per month, while all other regular residential customers' monthly rates will rise by 40 cents.

The new rates will take effect beginning with the May 2024 billing cycle, and incorporate only CPI-pegged changes. Commission chairman Jeff Clemons said the county's recent agreement to co-purchase the Cullman County Landfill in partnership with the City of Cullman had no affect on the rate increase that customers will see.

"This increase has nothing to do with the purchase of the landfill," said Clemons. "It's only [a response to] the CPI recommendations. We have to follow state guidelines on CPI increases, and if you delay those and don't do them incrementally, you can really find yourselves in a bind.

"If you look at what our rates are now and where they will be, we are still two or three dollars cheaper [per month] than all of our surrounding counties," Clemons added. "We continue to have some of the lowest residential trash pickup rates in the state of Alabama, and we want to keep it that way."

In other business at its regular meeting, the commission:

* Recognized CARTS (Cullman Area Rural Transportation System) employee Gary Campbell as he retires from 12 years of service.

* Recognized county Animal Control officer Johnny Jarrett upon his certification as a National Animal Cruelty Investigator through coursework offered by Colorado State University.

* Approved a resolution banning commercial truck through traffic along a portion of County Road 730 in the Welti area, extending from County road 747 westward to County Road 703.

* Approved a $186,245 non-education tax abatement for a corporate development in the Dodge City area, which when finished will create five local jobs. The company specializes in treating industrial waste — including inks, adhesives, and oils — and rendering it benign for disposal.

* Authorize Clemons to sign a maintenance agreement for railroad upgrades to include marking, striping and signage along County Road 715. The Alabama Department of Transportation will furnish materials for the improvements under the agreement, while the county will maintain the new features once they've been installed.

* Agreed to shift insured water leak coverage for county water department customers to a self-insured program implemented through the county, rather than through coverage secured by a third party. Under the county-maintained coverage, water customers will still continue to be able to opt into a small monthly upcharge that negates the cost of a single-month water bill increase caused by an undetected supply leak.

* Changed the speed limit along a two-mile portion of County Road 222 to 55 mph, a 10 mph increase above the default 45 mph minimum allowed by the state for paved rural roads with unposted speed limits. According to the county engineer, the change affects the portion of CR 222 between County Road 424 and County Road 410, a straight stretch of road with no hazardous curves.

* Changed the speed limit along County Road 1283, an unpaved road in the Vinemont area, to 20 mph.

* Changed the speed limit along County Road 1502 in east Cullman County to 30 mph.

* Approved an increase in cost from $800 to $1,000 per day to rent the Cullman County Agricultural Center.

* Authorized Clemons to sign a memorandum of understanding for improvements to the Cullman County Public Health Facility in the amount of $128,250. The commission also approved a separate MOU for improvements at the same facility in the amount of $25,000.

* Updated the county organizational chart to consolidate its Buildings Maintenance and County Garage operations under the Fleet and Facilities department.

* Approved a liability endorsement invoice from the ACCA [Association of County Commissions of Alabama] Liability Self-Insurance Program in the amount of $30,888.36, to include vehicles previously omitted due to a software error.

* Approved a part-time contract for attorney Brad Wilson, who will work in a training capacity alongside outgoing county attorney Emily Niezer Johnston until she leaves her position to take up her elected role as Cullman County Circuit Judge.

* Approved a request from the Cullman Civitan Club to use the south p

* arking lot at the Cullman County Courthouse for a fundraising event to be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on May 6, 2024.

* Approved a new application process for the municipal burial or cremation of indigent residents as well as deceased residents whose bodies are not claimed by a family member.

* Authorized the Cullman County Parks department to use the south parking lot at the courthouse to host food trucks in the months of April and May 2024.

* Approved the surplus of a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria used by the sheriff's office, to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Approved the surplus of a 2010 Ford F150 4X4 used by the county garage, to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Approved the surplus of abandoned items at county parks, including a 1989 Chevrolet truck and a Coleman pop-up camper, to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Approved the surplus of miscellaneous furniture, including 25 file cabinets, 39 chairs, 49 cases of filters, six desks and two storage cabinets, to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Approved the surplus of a 1999 International 4700 truck used by the Road Department, to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Approved the surplus of seven 2013 Ford cutaway vans from CARTS to be auctioned online via GovDeals or by any other necessary means.

* Awarded a bid to Eckenrod Ford of Cullman for the purchase of a new Bookmobile for the Cullman County Public Library.

* Awarded a bid for structural steel and reinforcing steel to Apel Machine & Supply Co., Inc. of Cullman.

* Approved a plat proposal for Kirkland Estates Subdivision, a minor subdivision containing three lots and located along County Road 1763.

* Approved a plat proposal for Simcoe Village Subdivision, a minor subdivision containing eight lots and located along County Road 747 at the intersection of County Road 1629 and County Road 163.

* Approved a plat proposal for Alabama Pines Subdivision, a minor subdivision containing three lots and located at the end of County Road 31.

* Authorized a resurvey of Hart's Cove subdivision, located along a privately maintained road in the Crane Hill area. The resurvey will combine three of the subdivision's lots into two.

* Entered into an executive session to discuss pending or

* threatened litigation, as well as a commercial or trade matter. The commission took no further action after returning from the executive session.

* Approved the minutes of the commission's March 19 regular meeting,.

* The next regular meeting of the Cullman County Commission will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, in the commission meeting room of the Cullman County Courthouse. A 4 p.m. public work session will precede the meeting at the same location.

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.