MD of Willow Creek council will meet with its counterparts at the Town of Fort Macleod to discuss a Fort Macleod area household waste collection site.
The decision came at Willow Creek council’s Nov. 16 meeting after administration presented the results of a recent survey of users of the existing site in Fort Macleod, which is scheduled for closure.
Chief administrative officer Derrick Krizsan said on-site surveys were done Wednesdays and Saturdays for the past three weeks.
Director of infrastructure Craig Pittman said in those three weeks 70 people utilized the service.
However, the survey is inconclusive, because many of those users did not know their municipal addresses.
Pittman explained the level of service is that people can bring their household garbage to the site on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
The garbage is removed and taken to the landfill.
Pittman said the most significant risk is hazardous or non-compatible materials abandoned on the site which the MD of Willow Creek would have to dispose of properly, which would increase cost.
This risk can be minimized if the site is fenced and gated, and staffed.
Pittman noted the annual service cost would be $24,213.
Reeve Maryanne Sandberg said that would be for 70 users.
Krizsan pointed out the MD of Willow Creek did not know if that was unique users or not.
Coun. John Van Driesten has a bin at his place, south of Fort Macleod, and pays $50 per month.
Coun. John Kroetsch asked what the cost of this service at the sites of the other towns in the MD of Willow Creek.
Pittman did not know, while Krizsan added the cost in Nanton is between $30,000 and $35,000.
Kroetsch noted that is about the same as Fort Macleod.
Coun. Glen Alm said the collection site is necessary because otherwise the MD of Willow Creek would end up with garbage bags in the ditches.
Alm also observed the MD of Willow Creek is trying to move to a user-pay model but this project is the opposite, because the municipality is subsidizing a few people.
Kroetsch said the town asked for additional information.
The MD of Willow Creek had a test on odour conducted and it supported the application. Yet the town still denied the application.
Sandberg asked if there is a reason not to use the old dump site east of town.
Pittman said the costs of an alternate location would be similar.
However Alm said no alternate site has yet been identified.
It was noted about half an acre would be needed, and it would have to be at least 300 metres from the nearest residence.
Coun. Earl Hemmaway said this is expensive for a few people to use.
Sandberg said if they looked at it through the lens of asset management, it is not a paying proposition, although it is a service and people use it.
Alm suggested getting staff to look for another site, such as a gravel pit. He reiterated the municipality should proceed with an alternate site because if it doesn’t, there will be more garbage in the ditches.
Kroetsch said it would have been easy to just put a dumpster on municipal property, but the town refused.
Sandberg asked if there is any benefit for elected officials to talk to elected officials. So far, this has gone through administrative staff of both municipalities.
Kroetsch said it was the planner who said there should not be a waste collection site in the town.
Council then agreed to meet with Fort Macleod town council to work together on this issue, and others.
