Should Senoia let the city’s trash service also pickup yard debris?

That’s the question the city mulled over at length Monday night, before deciding to ask for the citizens’ input on the issue.

Currently, city workers pick up the yard scraps once a week, but City Administrator Richard Ferry noted that the costs are continually increasing for the city. Ferry estimated its costing the city about $49,000 a year to provide the service, but Mayor Robert Belisle feels the figure is even higher.

“I actually think it’s closer to $60,000 a year,” he said.

Ferry said that Dependable Waste had offered to provide the service for $4 per housing unit per month. Residents would still receive once a week pickup of yard debris, but the city’s public works staff would be able to concentrate on other areas.

“It’s taking two workers about 20-25 hours each a week to get this accomplished,” said Belisle.

Councilman Larry Owens was intrigued by the proposal, but said he would like to hear from the residents. The City Council also discussed how the measure would be billed. The most popular proposal floated was the city absorb $2 and the residents pay $2 each month when the program is started.

Councilman Keith Harrison was not totally in favor of the split costs.

“How long would this go on? How many people put stuff out to get picked up?” he said.

The Council decided to bring the matter before the public in July.

In other matters,

• Decided to spend up to $21,000 for a new water line on Gin Street. The street is in the process of being rebuilt for another development by the Historic Senoia Project, that will include brownstones and lofts. Ferry said the current water line is aging and the new line would give the city better access in case there is a problem.

“It’s also important to realize we’ll recoup nearly $4,500 from the developer,” said Belisle.

• Agreed to resubmit a list of city streets to the state for approval to run radar devices to determine speeds on the streets.

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