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Thomasville increases garbage collection fees
After a dramatic falling-out with Allied Waste, Thomasville city council voted to raise its garbage collection rates to pay new garbage collector Arrow. Rates will increase by 12 percent for residential customers, increasing to $14.00 per can per household per month. Dumpster users will see the largest increase at 15 percent, while the rates for commercial customers using the household sized cans will remain the same at $26.00 per month. Overall, the cost increase for garbage collection within the city will rise nine percent. Mayor Sheldon Day said the city has always had to make up a shortfall between the amount charged to customers and the rates charged by the garbage collection company. Usually, the shortfall amounts to about $20,000 per year. Rates have not been raised since 2002. The new rates will take effect with the next water and garbage billing cycle. In April of 2008, the city will move towards annual price increases based on the consumer price index, the same index that guides price increases in the city's current garbage collection contract. Day noted that garbage collection is the most expensive service the city offers. Bids rejected The council made official what was expected since last week in rejecting the bids for construction of a civic center in Thomasville at the site of the old Thomasville High School. Bids for the project came in at $1.5 million higher than estimated. The council also rejected the bid for renovation and expansion of the pavilion at Gates Drive Park. The lone bid for that project came in at $390,000, a price nearly double what was estimated for adding bathrooms, expanding a portion of the pavilion and adding paved parking and lights. LifeTech Center nearly ready Day reported that a final building inspection was made on the new educational center at the LifeTech facility at the former mental health and rehabilitation center on Bashi Road. Current plans call for the education center to work with pre-release inmates during the day and provide community education classes at night. A dedication ceremony is planned for October. In other business, Day reported that he would be seeking additional grant money to help pay for building the access road to Thomasville's south industrial and medical park. The city currently has about $1.2 million in grant funds, but the projected cost of the road sits at $3 million. Day also reported that Southwest Alabama Medical Center is ready to move forward with the purchase of property for its new hospital building, to be located at the entrance to the new industrial and medical center. It was announced during the meeting that the first public hearing of the land use and zoning ordinance will be held Thursday, Sept. 7 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. The zoning overlay map will be available for viewing at 5:30 p.m.
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