Details of sanitation contract approved; 2021 budget introduced at council meeting

The city of Vestavia Hills’ new sanitation contract with Amwaste will include twice-weekly trash pickup, with one day devoted to traditional household waste and another picking up a “mixed stream” of waste, with a large percentage of that going to RePower South in Montgomery to be turned into recyclables or feedstock fuel.

The City Council voted on the details of that previously approved contract at the Aug. 24 Council meeting. The option stipulates that Amwaste will come once a week to pick up household waste and take it to the landfill and come another day of the week to take waste to RePower South in Montgomery. However, on the recycling day, Amwaste will pick up what City Manager Jeff Downes called a “mixed stream.” Residents can still include household waste if they desire or need to. RePower South will sort the waste, with 70% being turned into a commodity or feedstock fuel. The other 30% that is not able to be recycled will be taken to a landfill in Montgomery.

Comparing the contract to the previous contract with Republic, the city will save $163,800 for fiscal year 2021. The projected cost to the city is roughly $3.3 million annually, with those costs based on the number of single-family homes in the city. The money saved will go toward making improvements to public safety. It will be used to pay for two new police officers and, midway through the fiscal year, three new firefighters. The city also plans to use capital funds to purchase another ambulance, Downes said.

The contract with Amwaste takes effect on Oct. 1, 2020. Trash carts will be replaced at some point, but that is delayed, Downes said at the meeting. Should Amwaste ever cease to do business with RePower South for recycling, language in the contract stipulates the city and Amwaste will find another recycling facility to use.

Downes introduced the fiscal year 2021 budget at the meeting, emphasizing the city’s strong financial position despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city will end fiscal year 2020 with a surplus, putting them in good shape heading into the new fiscal year, Downes said. Expected general fund revenues for FY2021 are about $47.7 million, which is 3.5% greater than the current year’s projected budget but is 2.8% less than expected end-of-year revenues, Downes said.

That move, he said, will hedge the city against financial uncertainties due to the pandemic.

The budget calls for the aforementioned improvements to public safety. The fire department had stated their need for more personnel and equipment to handle an increase in medical calls, and the police department had made a similar request due to the challenge of covering the width [19 miles] of the city. It also funds roughly seven miles of street repaving, an increase in senior programming, the new sanitation contract and merit and longevity pay raises for city employees; however, Downes said cost-of-living increases weren’t able to be included in this year’s budget. However, he has proposed 5% hazardous pay for essential employees for three months as a result of the pandemic.

The Council also approved a $25,000 settlement with Stephanie Manakides, who sued the city in 2017 over damages she received from tripping on a city sidewalk. Ben Owens, the attorney for the city, said agreeing to the settlement has nothing to do with the merits of the case, but is simply the best option for the city, as the offer was for less than it would cost to litigate the case.

In other business, the Council approved a conditional use permit for a home occupation for Timothy Boyne. Ordinances approving the FY2021 budget, the final 10% of expenditures for the FY2020 budget, hazardous pay for employees, financing terms for city vehicles and a conditional use permit were introduced and will be discussed at a later meeting.