Level Plains to see price drop for garbage services

Residents of Level Plains should see garbage rates go down as Dale County moves forward with a plan to get out of the garbage collection business.

Members of the Level Plains City Council read a letter from the Dale County Commission during a Nov. 12 meeting asking the city to accept a contract with Mark Dunning Industries Inc.

This is in addendum to the contract MDI has already signed with Dale County.

City officials said residents would likely pay around $1.25 less for monthly trash services when the contract takes effect in February of 2014.

MDI will also provide roadside containers for all customers, which Dale County previously had not done..

Council members also granted Mayor Bruce Grantham the authority to make an offer to purchase a piece of land that adjoins Level Plains City Hall.

The land has been recently vacated by the owner and put up for sale.

If the property was acquired, the city could use it for the Level Plains Volunteer Fire Department and as an impound lot for the Level Plains Police Department.

However, those plans are not finalized yet.

Grantham also issued each council member a copy of the city’s annual audit report, which will be reviewed in detail during the Nov. 26 meeting by Mark Smith of Ferguson and Sizemore of Dothan.

The council also agreed to give Grantham permission to spend up to $4,000 to make repairs to the city’s repeater, an integral part of the police department’s communications system that went out earlier in November.

The city is currently waiting on two bids from companies in Dothan, but wanted to pre-authorize the transaction so the issue could be resolved as quickly as possible.

The council also approved a contract renewal with Oakley, Wright and Hart of Dothan.

Oakley, Wright and Hart have assisted the city with computer and IT needs for more than a year for $500 a quarter.

The contract covers quarterly check-ins, updates to computers and any technology-related emergencies the city may have.

Council members also approved a request from Steve Lowery of the Level Plains Volunteer Fire Department giving the department permission to reapply for a FEMA grant.

Other actions taken by the council:

• Approved a $3,650 bid to make repairs to a washed-out area of Anne Street.
• Agreed to send Police Chief Lanice Bonds to a conference in Huntsville Jan 27-31
• Agreed to renew the city’s liability insurance coverage through the Circle Insurance Agency of Ozark.
• Gave the Level Plains Volunteer Fire Department permission to renew its Insurance, which is covered in the LPVFD’s annual budget.