DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – City Sanitation is preparing for major changes with proposed upgrades to the current system, including the acquisition of a new automated sanitation truck through a Rural Development Loan through the United States Department of Agriculture, new roll-out trash carts to better facilitate the use of the new truck, and reducing the special pickup of items like furniture, appliances, and construction debris to once a year beginning this June.
At the Devils Lake City Commission Meeting on Monday, March 16 at City Hall, as a part of new business, the Commission moved to approve two resolutions to obtain a loan in a sum not to exceed $435,000, according to the application form submitted in the Commission meeting agenda, and also authorize the incurrence of indebtedness. “These are two resolutions that the USDA has requested that we have the Commission approve as part of that low-interest loan that we’re working on for that automated sanitation truck,” said City Manager Spencer Halvorson, who recommended the approval.
After the meeting, Public Works Director and City Engineer Mike Grafsgaard expanded on the purpose of the new sanitation vehicle, which is expected to arrive in October. “So, rather than having somebody that goes to your can and physically picks up your garbage and brings it over and dumps it, this has an automated arm on it,” he said. “Everybody’s going to it because it’s so hard to find help.”
Grafsgaard said that with the current labor market, many communities are switching to automated vehicles like the one under consideration for Devils Lake, which will require only one operator, who likely will be picking up about 500 trash containers a day. He added that despite the change to automation, the vehicle will remain the same in size so that it can pick up cans located in the alleys. “We want to maintain pickup in the alleys,” he said.
Grafsgaard added that the current trucks will remain in reserve in case the new truck has to be serviced. He also said that there would be a learning curve as sanitation workers are trained on how to use the new vehicle. “So, you’ll have somebody running it, and you’re going to have somebody in the passenger seat,” he said. “Because we have to get multiple people trained.”
Meanwhile, Grafsgaard and his team are considering which trash containers would be best to use in conjunction with the new automated sanitation truck. During review of commission portfolios, Grafsgaard told the Commission that he already had two of the requested samples of roll-out trash carts, in 64 and 95-gallon sizes, which he invited commissioners to examine at their convenience. “We’re hoping to get a few different options from a couple different vendors, so we can compare them before we put together requests for proposals or put together a bid package for cans that will be coming up this summer.”
After the meeting, Grafsgaard stressed that residents will not have to buy the carts themselves and between now and October, his staff will be putting together a set of specifications for the garbage containers that will be utilized with the automated truck. He is inclined to acquire the 95-gallon size roll-out trash carts, as they’re less likely to topple over from strong winds. Also, the wheels and handle will make them easier to maneuver and require less physical labor. “The City will be buying the cans,” he said, adding that each will have to be in a particular location and have free space around it, so that the automated arm can grab it and dump the contents into the truck. “There shouldn’t be a lot of significant difference for the typical resident in town.”
Another change in trash pickup is the special pickup of items like furniture, appliances, tree branches and construction debris. Due to budgetary concerns, instead of scheduling the special pickup twice a year in the spring and fall, it will now be once a year, starting at the beginning of June. The pickup schedule will be divided into the four weeks of the month, with each week having special trash pickup in a different area of Devils Lake. As it gets closer to the new dates, additional reminders and information will be posted on both the City’s Facebook page as well as the front page of the City website.
Non-acceptable items for special pickup will remain the same: household garbage, microwaves, televisions, computer monitors, laptop computers, tablets (dispose of these items in your regular garbage), as well as items containing asbestos, batteries, and liquids of any kind.
For more information on the revised special pickup schedule, visit the City’s website at dvlnd.com/departments/public-works/sanitation-recycling/p/item/2641/annual-special-pickup.
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