Trash pickup rates increase

Trash pickup rates in Geneva will increase April 1.

Geneva Town Council approved the garbage pickup rate increase at its meeting Tuesday evening.

Council also finalized a tax abatement for Red Gold, awarded a contract to replace lighting in the fire department building and forwarded a grant proposal to help with the purchase of a new mini-excavator.

After posting notice of the proposed rate increase and allowing time for public comment, council voted to approve increases to trash pickup rates for town residents and non-residents. For those in the town’s limits, trash pickup will now cost $12 per month, and for non-residents it will cost $13.25 per month. Currently, the rates are $8.50 per month for town residents and $9.75 per month for non-residents.

Council members Dick Clutter, Agnes Schoch and Jim Timmons also approved a resolution to create an economic revitalization area that would include Red Gold and grant a new tax abatement request. The creation of the area and addition of the abatement would give Red Gold a 10-year tax abatement for $13.6 million in new manufacturing, distribution and IT equipment purchases, in addition to six other already existing abatements.  

Council voted to award a contract to Coppersmith Electric of Berne to replace lighting throughout the fire station. Town Marshal and workforce manager Rob Johnson presented a $11,803 bid from Coppersmith Electric of Berne and a $10,782.50 bid from Bluffton Plumbing, Heating and Electric. After reviewing the bids, council noticed that Bluffton Plumbing, Heating and Electric failed to include in its quote an estimation for replacing garage strip lights and decided to award the contract to Coppersmith.

Also approved at Tuesday’s meeting was a grant proposal for the United States Department of Agriculture for the purchase of a new excavator from Affolder Implement Sales of Geneva. Council selected the bid and model type of the excavator at its February meeting, opting for a $54,432 model from Affolder that includes the option to replace it for a roughly $2,500 fee each year. The grant, if it is awarded to the town, would cover $29,900 of the expenses, and the town would cover the remaining $24,532. Johnson also estimated the town would receive about $10,000 off the purchase price after trading in old equipment.

The proposal was forwarded to United States Department of Agriculture, but town clerk-treasurer Jane Kaverman noted that the town would have the funds to purchase the excavator even if it wasn’t awarded the grant.

In other business, council:

•Heard that Geneva Chamber of Commerce needs nominations for its annual awards. Residents can nominate individuals and businesses by going to the chamber’s Facebook page. The award ceremony will be conducted at 6 p.m. April 13 at the Chamber building.

•Discussed ongoing need to replace one of the town’s fire engines. Fire Chief Gabe Schwartz said he expects estimates for the cost of the new truck will be ready by the April meeting, and also recommended that in the future the town plan in advance and start saving for replacing large-ticket items like fire engines. Kaverman agreed, and mentioned efforts to create new 10-year plans for each of the town’s departments.

•Heard from Johnson that the town will need to purchase new bulletproof vests for its police officers. He told council that he is applying for a 50-50 matching federal bulletproof grant and expects the vests to cost a total of about $6,000. 

•Also heard from Johnson that an 8-inch sewer line underneath Bristol Drive will need to be replaced because of the large number of roots that have infiltrated the line. The root infiltration was discovered after city wastewater workers inspected the line with a camera. He estimated that in a few years the line could be completely closed off.