CITY COUNCIL: SOLID-WASTE BILLING TOPIC ON AGENDA

A citizens committee on solid waste will present recommendations on modified billing at the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting tonight.

In other business, the council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed annexation of Twin Lakes Subdivision and is expected to further discuss a contentious city zone elections issue.

The Solid Waste Task Force was formed last summer partly as a result of changes in Cape Girardeau's solid waste service and a trash fee increase.

The task force was charged with reviewing various volume-based pricing alternatives and the city's role in a regional solid waste district.

The committee has held 11 meetings since, and last week formally adopted a set of recommendations to the city, which include:

Maintain the current charge of $10.54 as a "base rate" for collection of no more than three containers of trash weekly and unlimited recycling collection.

20Charge an additional $2 per bag for those that exceed the three-bag limit; strict enforcement of the limit; and reduction within two years of the limit as the cost of trash service increases.

Continue operation of solid waste service by the city rather than bid the service to private haulers.

- Clearly specify solid waste and recycling services offered by the city, including commercial services and charges.

Implement a city-wide education effort to inform the public of solid waste services, costs and regulations.

Review upcoming issues regarding household hazardous waste problems and regulations that will be implemented in January 1994 under the Missouri solid waste law.

Calvin Chapman, chairman of the task force, will present the recommendations to the city council tonight.

In its report to the council, the task force concluded that volume-based pricing of some sort will provide an economic incentive for residents to reduce household waste.

"With volume-based pricing, residents who practice waste source reduction, backyard composting, and recycling receive a clear reward lower rates for doing so," the committee's report said. "Waste `watchers' do not subsidize waste `hogs' through the waste-pricing mechanism."

The task force also reviewed volume-based programs in several cities before adopting the recommendations.

"All the pros and cons were discussed with a basic conclusion that, at this time, three cans or bags per week limit with unlimited recycling was the best solution for the residents of Cape Girardeau," the report said.

"However, it should be anticipated that within the next two years as costs increase, the number of bags will be reduced in an effort to contain the costs to the residents and to provide an economic incentive for waste reduction..."

The task force also recommended that the city's recycling center on Broadview be open on Saturday morning in addition to its regular hours to "further encourage recycling and for public convenience."

The report concluded that "the city is operating a cost-effective and efficient operation." Task force members include Chapman, Loretta Schneider, Steve Overmann, Richmond Payne, Kathleen Ruopp, Vincent Seyer, Robert Herbst, Jean Simpson, and Sarah Holt.

Twin Lakes annexation

The council last month initiated the Twin Lakes annexation process at the request of a majority of property owners in the subdivision.

At tonight's public hearing, the city staff will present its "plan of intent" to provide services to the area within three years, and the current property assessment levels and tax rates that will apply to Twin Lakes.

If the council proceeds with the measure and approves first reading of the annexation ordinance, final approval would be considered Dec. 21, which would enable the law to take effect Jan. 1.

In a letter to the council, City Planner Kent Bratton said the next step in the process then would be to file a petition in Circuit Court to authorize the annexation.

"If this is successful, the final step will be to hold an election in which a majority of voters of the city and the area to be annexed will need to approve the annexation," Bratton said.

"If a majority of voters in the city approve the annexation, but not in the area to be annexed, a second election will be necessary at which at least two-thirds of the voters in both areas combined will need to ap prove the annexation."

Also on tonight's agenda is the annexation petition from the owner of property west of Interstate 55 the site of a proposed Lowe's Home Center adjacent to a planned Sam's Wholesale Club.

Zone election

The zone election issue isn't included on the agenda for tonight's meeting but was discussed at length at the council's last meeting, Nov. 16.

At that meeting, the council agreed to appoint a citizens committee to work out legal concerns associated with the zone election measure approved Nov. 3 by Cape Girardeau voters.

The council is expected to complete appointment of the committee at its Dec. 21 meeting, with prospective members having until Dec. 14 to submit an application.

But Mayor Gene Rhodes has since said he believes the Nov. 3 election wasn't simply a matter of voters deciding to switch from at-large to zone council representation. He said Friday he believes voters have in effect fired the present city council.

"I felt like not legally, but technically, the citizens fired the city council because, for whatever reasons, they want people to be elected from their individual neighborhoods," the mayor said.

Councilman David Limbaugh said Friday it's possible the issue will be addressed tonight.

Rhodes has pushed to resolve legal issues surrounding the zone election measure, which city officials have said might violate Supreme Court equal representation standards. Also at issue is whether present council members can legally be removed from the council short of a formal recall prior to the completion of the terms to which they were elected.

The mayor last month tried to set a spring election for a new council. But it's also unclear whether the mayor who will continue to be elected at-large also will be up for election.