Published: February 18, 2008 10:54 pm      

City plans switch to weekly garbage pickup

The city of Dalton will move to once-a-week garbage collection on the first Monday in May. Members of the City Council voted 4-0 on Monday to switch from twice-a-week pickups.

The city has long collected garbage twice a week, but figures provided by the public works department show the city could save $157,712 a year by going to weekly pickups.

Council member Dick Lowrey said the city will educate citizens on recycling in the weeks leading to the switch.

Dalton resident Randy Mayfield expressed concern about garbage piling up outside homes. But Mayor David Pennington said the city has already experienced weekly collections for several weeks after Hurricane Katrina drove fuel prices up in 2005. City officials said there were few problems in that period.

Council members also voted 4-0 to:

• Approve a $20,000 amendment to the 2008 budget for additional storm drain engineering at the municipal airport, with $19,000 of that from a state grant.

• Approve a resolution creating a 5 percent franchise fee for those who hold state cable and video franchises. City administrator Butch Sanders said the move was necessary because the state law has changed to allow cable companies to get a franchise from the secretary of state’s office and the resolution is a first step in making sure that those who hold those state licenses pay the city franchise fee if they operate in Dalton.

• Change the intersection of Willowdale Road and Crow Valley Road to a three-way stop.

• Designate several fire lanes at, among others, Hamilton Medical Center, Hamilton Diagnostic Center, the Bradley Wellness Center and Whitfield Place. The fire lanes were requested by Hamilton Medical Center.