Monthly trash service cost to see small increase in 2021

by Jennifer Taggart

Dec. 1 trustees meeting

Hinckley Township Trustee Melissa Augustine reminded residents of the annual price increase for Kimble Recycling Waste and Disposal service.

In 2020, unlimited service cost residents $21.75 a month, and bag service cost $6.90 per month, plus $3 per bag. Per the township’s contract with Kimble, unlimited service will cost $22.21 a month in 2021, and bag service will cost $7.11 a month, plus $3.09 per bag.

After receiving a resident complaint about a truck being used by a Kimble employee that was not labeled for Kimble Recycling Waste and Disposal, Augustine said she inspected the vehicle in question on Nov. 28 and Kimble’s name was on both sides of the truck, and the lights and backup camera system were functioning.

“I am confident that Kimble will be working diligently to have the vehicles marked even if they are rented vehicles, as it states in the contract,” she said.

Kimble had rented a truck while waiting on parts to repair a damaged Kimble truck to arrive.

“This was in response to a community member who was not happy with the fact that Kimble had done the right thing and hired a temporary rental truck while theirs was being repaired,” Trustee Jim Burns said. “In so doing, Kimble was able to maintain their schedule and pickup times and inconvenience no one.”

Sustainability plan

350 Hinckley, a grassroots organization devoted to environmental sustainability, sent two sample sustainability policies for trustees to review, hoping to spur a discussion about adopting their own.

Burns said that he wants to see the township gradually adopt such a policy.

He said the township already follows many practices that are in line with 350 Hinckley’s suggestions, such as recycling, minimizing use of paper, and turning off electricity in the office when not using it. He said these actions could be formally written into a policy, and that the township could work to adopt other practices, such as using LED lights in all buildings.

“Better to have some successes with that, then work towards bigger goals,” Burns said.

Trustee Ray Schulte said he supports moving slowly when adopting a sustainability policy.

“We’ve got to do it appropriately and when the time is right, when you can expend those kinds of dollars to do that,” he said.

Augustine said that a sustainability policy could be included in the 2025 update of Hinckley’s comprehensive plan, which is developed by Hinckley residents.

“Because it’s done every 10 years, it really does stretch over different terms and different trustees,” she said. “The board is ever-changing, and this is a map for those trustees, to really know what the people of Hinckley would really like to see in Hinckley.”

Police auxiliary unit

Trustees approved the creation of a new auxiliary unit for the police department that will consist of six to eight volunteers. Police Chief David Centner said the unit will assist with directing traffic for special events and help with storm damage and other township emergencies.

“It would be for people who are either interested in supporting the police station, or people who are looking to become policemen, kind of trying to get a feel for what the environment is about,” Schulte said.

Volunteers will use township vehicles. Township costs include worker’s compensation and insurance costs. Centner said the estimated annual insurance per volunteer is $49 for noncommissioned civilians and $69 for non-commissioned civilians.

In other action:

• Fire Chief Jestin Grossenbaugh announced that the Hinckley Firemen’s Association’s Fill the Boot Drive raised $3,800, the highest amount to date. Proceeds will be used for gift bags for seniors and the emergency needs of citizens in fire situations.

• Trustees approved spending $12,086 with TAC Computer for a new file server, email license and a computer with dual monitors for the police station.

• Trustees accepted the resignation of Firefighter John Otcasek.