Jackson looks to change clean-up/fix-up methods for residents

Pending approval by the Jackson Board of Aldermen, the city’s annual Clean-Up/Fix-Up Week will be replaced starting next year by a new program city officials say will be more convenient for the public and less burdensome for city workers.

The proposed program was discussed during the aldermen’s study session earlier this week.

It will allow Jackson residents to call the city’s public works department to request a free special trash collection anytime during the year except during holiday weeks. If approved by the aldermen later this year, the new program will go into effect in January.

Under the existing Clean-Up/Fix-Up program, residents who wanted to participate had to do so during a designated week. This year’s the program took place the week of June 3-7. Over that five-day period, city crews collected a record 371 tons of solid waste, about 50 tons more than in 2018 and more than any other year over the past decade.

Collecting that much additional garbage in one week, on top of routine trash collection, was an extra workload for city employees, according to Rodney Bollinger, Jackson’s director of administrative services.

It was also inconvenient for many residents who had to be sure all their extra trash was stacked curbside in front of their homes that week.

Under the new system, Jackson residents can still take advantage of a free annual pickup, but instead of being limited to one week designated by the city, they can schedule it at their convenience, thereby allowing the city to spread out the collections throughout the year.

“It will also give customers control over the timing of their pickup,” Bollinger said. “Customers will simply decide which week they would like their pickup, call the Public Works Department to check availability and request their free pickup.”

The new special trash pickup system will be similar to the way special pickups are handled in Cape Girardeau which allows one extra residential collection of curbside refuse during the year at no charge.

Additional collections can also be arranged for a small charge.

Other topics discussed by the aldermen during their study session this week included:

• suggested changes to the city’s ordinances related to sewer use.
• proposed purchase of custom city limit signs and “accomplishment” plaques for those signs
• an update on the city’s storm recovery efforts.

In addition to their study session, the aldermen also conducted a regular business meeting this week during which they:

• approved the appointment of Jeff Long to fill an unexpired term on the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission
• approved an agreement with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri
• approved a payment to Horner & Shifrin, Inc., of St. Louis in the among of $18,522 for engineering services related to the East Main Street water line and pavement improvements project
• approved an ordinance accepting the dedication of a utility easement related to the roundabout project at East Main Street and Shawnee Boulevard.