Oxford Board discusses trash service with Orleans
The Village of Oxford board of trustees met on Monday, December 21, at 7 pm for a regular meeting. All board members were present as well as public works director Duane Hoffman and Clerk Becky Calderone. Also present was Orleans Chairman Casey Bantam and via zoom was CJ Poltack from West Central Development. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Clint McQuiston. The board approved the consent agenda including the minutes of the December 14 meeting and the claims from December 15 through December 21.
A public meeting on the Tier 2 Owner Occupied Housing Rehab program was opened and run by Poltack. The reason for the hearing was Tom Stevens with Department of Economic development said they need to do a Tier 2 environmental review and they need to let the public know that. They have to look for contamination and toxic substances on homes in the program. Once addresses are determined they will be performing an environmental review. She asked if there were any questions. She said it is a formality and did not expect any public comment but they would need to answer to that if there was. Trustee Mike Minarik asked about the noise control and the possibility of a train putting them over 65 decibels. CJ said they would put in mitigation measures as far as doors and windows and insulation and the noise from the railroad tracks would be taken into consideration. CJ said if there was no public comment she would suggest they move forward. There was no public comment and the public hearing was closed at 7:16.
Next was to award the lead based paint testing agreement. CJ said they asked two board members and the clerk to score the companies that are certified in Nebraska. They received three bids. B2 Environmental was selected by the scoring process and CJ recommended they award this and authorize the chairman to sign. The motion was made and approved 5 — o. CJ will get in contact with B2 to get a contract and look it over. She said they have worked with B2 in the past and have been spot on with safety and testing. She also said they have received 5 applications but thinks that there may be some that do not meet the threshold and others are still submitting information. The application process will need to be opened for another 3o days. It will be advertised as there is still funding available. Taxes and mortgage need to be current and it cannot be a rent to own situation.
Next was discussion with Bantam on Orleans trash service. He wanted to apologize about the way the previous board had treated them. He didn’t feel it was right. Bantam said Orleans is currently losing money in the trash department and is looking at raising rates and would like to see their options. They need to look at some options and wanted to get a bid from Oxford as well as some other companies. Bill Mayo is getting prices on trash bins. Mayo said he is having issues getting new lids for the old bins. Bantam said they are not in a hurry and do have a contract currently with another service. But he is looking at the contract and having their attorney look at it as well. Mayo went into some of the issues they were having previously. Bantam said they were going through clerks but thinks they have a clerk now that will stay. Hoffman asked if there was date Bantam wanted this by. Hoffman said they have raised Oxford’s rates and would probably incorporate that into the new rate for Orleans. The last time Orleans rate was raised was 2016, Bantam commented they are probably overdue anyway and expects a raise in rates regardless. They received a percentage previously as they owned their own bins. McQuiston said they are more than willing to work with them and will look at putting together a couple packages for Orleans to look at. Bantam said not having the large dumpsters hurt their clean up day due to people not being able to get rid of all their trash throughout the year.
Next the board looked at the cemetery minutes from their December 16 meeting. They are asking for a higher rate to dig from $550 to $650 due to an increase in what they are being charged. McQuiston said he thinks that it has always been on the cheaper side of what gets charged. The minutes were approved. McQuiston asked for a motion to approve resolution 2020-12-21 to raise the rates. It was approved.
Calderone gave her clerk’s report. All of the paperwork is getting finished up on a property they village is acquiring.
Hoffman gave his report. He had a sanitation adder for diesel prices. There was water going into a building on main street. It is not going into any other buildings. Ed came down on Sunday and couldn’t find the leak. They shut off the curb stop and it was still leaking. Rural water came and listened and could not find anything. It may be in the middle of Ogden, but they couldn’t find anything. He said it was possible to be runoff but hasn’t slowed in two days. If it doesn’t stop by tomorrow they are looking at tearing up main street starting with the sidewalk.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.
