Ellinwood City Council at a glance
Here is a brief look at what the Ellinwood City Council did Tuesday evening:
• Recognized city employees Steve Woodruff for 30 years with the fire department and Jarrod Carr for 10 years in the electric department.
• In preparation for the potential awarding of an exclusive contract for the collection of solid waste within the city, reviewed and approved an ordinance making changes to the current solid waste ordinance. Changes include: year-round, once per week residential collection and curbside recycling.
• Approved a 10-year contract with Stutzman Refuse Disposal for solid waste collection beginning in early 2025.
• Approved Ordinance 2024-14 and Resolution 111224 making changes to the current solid waste rate schedule.
• Discussed an ordinance adopted in 2009 and amended in 2011 regarding golf cart usage on city streets. No action was taken at the meeting.
• Approved a bid of $284,371 for an ambulance from Osage Ambulance replacing the EMS department’s 1999 Medtec unit after discussion of the four bids received along with delivery schedules.
• Approved the purchase of materials for the new housing development from bids received. Approved for purchase from McPherson Concrete were seven sanitary sewer manholes at a cost of $13,849.31; storm sewer pipe from Core & Main at $37,970.60 and water main pipe from Municipal Supply at a cost of $12,376.
• Set a special meeting date of Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. to review bids received and opened on Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. for curb, gutter and gravel street construction for the northwest development.
• Recessed into executive session for discussion of property acquisition. No action was taken.
ELLINWOOD — After several special council meetings and a review of current city solid waste operations, the Ellinwood City Council unanimously voted among members present at Tuesday’s meeting to approve a 10-year formal agreement with Stutzman Refuse Disposal for solid waste and recycling collection beginning in early 2025.
In addition to the contract, the council also passed an ordinance and resolution governing residential and commercial rates for the service within the city limits, as well as took action to discontinue current recycling operations with cardboard collection at the city power plant.
Ellinwood City Administrator Chris Komarek, in his staff report to the board, told council members that the city would be developing an educational campaign for residents and businesses on the parameters of the new service for distribution prior to the first week of operations in early February 2025.
Komarek explained that the most significant change affecting the Ellinwood community would be once-weekly trash collection for residential customers and smaller businesses, with multiple-day pickups on Stutzman’s schedule available for larger commercial concerns.
New rate schedules
According to Ordinance 2024-14 governing residential and commercial fees, effective Feb. 1, 2025 the monthly residential rate of $18 would be charged customers within one mile of the city limits with connection to the City of Ellinwood electric system that includes one poly cart with or without recycling, with additional trash polycarts available for an additional $6 per month per cart. An additional charge for recycling would be assessed at $2 per month for each additional recycling cart.
Commercial rates were set according to the following schedule:
One poly cart — $19 per month with or without recycling
Additional trash cart — $8 per month per cart
Additional recycling cart — $3 per month per cart
2-yd solid waste — $40 for once-weekly pickup; $60 for twice-weekly pickup
3-yd solid waste — $52 for once-weekly pickup; $82 for twice-weekly pickup
4-yd solid waste — $64 for once-weekly pickup; $110 for twice-weekly pickup
6-yd solid waste — $88 for once-weekly pickup; $160 for twice-weekly pickup
3-yd recycling — $38 for once-weekly pickup; $71 for twice-weekly pickup
4-yd recycling — $50 for once-weekly pickup; $95 for twice-weekly pickup
6-yd recycling — $74 for once-weekly pickup; $143 for twice-weekly pickup
The ordinance states that residences and commercial entities outside the city limits may be provided at the city’s discretion with charges set by mutual agreement between the City and customer based on volume and frequency of collection. Resolution No. 111224 also states that “any customer who has a quantity of solid waste in excess of their container size, or repeatedly places trash outside the container on a frequency that exceeds 30% in any 30-day period, may be assessed a surcharge on their solid waste bill equal to 50% of the normal monthly charge and/or be required to obtain an additional or larger container.”
The City may, with council approval, adopt policies and procedures for offering reduced solid waste fees to qualifying senior citizens subject to approved criteria.
