Trash in compost brush bins

CLINTONVILLE – Trash being placed in the city of Clintonville’s brush and compost bins has become a more common occurrence, which creates problems for the city and more work of city employees.
That was the message that Clintonville Public Works Director Justin Mc Auly relayed to the Clintonville Public Works Committee when it met Dec. 19.
The two bins are owned byClintonville Area Waste Services (CAWS), but are city deposit sites for brush and compost. Mc Auly said people dumping trash in the brush and compost bins has been a problem for “a long time.”
Committee member Tammy Strey-Hirt said the city should install a camera in the area.
Mc Auly said installing a camera would require the city to obtain a cellular plan. He said that could cost around $50 per month.

Committee member Aimee Ebert suggested the city install a trail camera in the area.
Mc Auly said a trail camera could be a possibility, but wondered if such a camera would be able to provide images that would allow city officials to read the license plates of vehicles.
“A lot of the people that are dumping here are not city residents, and that’s the other issue,” Mc Auly said. “This is supposed to be for city residents only. The city taxpayers are paying for the maintenance of this facility.”
One of the concerns about trash being dumped in the brush bin is the fact the brush is chipped each year by a company contracted by the city.
“If they chip something like that (trash) and damage their chipper, who’s going to be liable for that?” Mc Auly asked.
Mc Auly added, “Our compost and brush is not the cleanest right now, and I have a problem with that.”
Ald. Greg Rose, who is also the chairman of CAWS, told the committee that some area brush and compost drop sites charge their residents to dispose of brush and compost.
“So, if you wanted to rope this into CAWS and put up a fence and extend the CAWS fence to include it, then it would be left to CAWS to charge,” Rose said. “Or, you guys figure out your own way to charge.”
Mc Auly shared information about how some other area communities handle their brush and compost drop sites. Most have a fenced-in area, with some requiring a security card to enter the facility.
“It’s very common to have a gated yard waste, compost site,” Mc Auly said.

Options
Mc Auly acknowledged that one option for Clintonville’s brush and compost bins would be to install a fence around them, as they are not currently fenced in. Moving the bins inside the CAWS fenced area would also be an option.
He added that the goal would be to have the brush bin near the wood chips pile.
“If this gets fenced in, maybe it’s only open the days that CAWS is open,” Mc Auly said.
More signage could be installed, establishing the rules of the site, Mc Auly said.

“That would probably deter some people from going in,” Mc Auly said.
He added, “A lot of places charge contractors that are doing bulk dumping. We don’t, so that could be possible revenue for us.”
Regarding compost, Mc Auly said some municipalities are selling their unscreened compost. That could be another revenue source for the city.
“We’re probably one of the last municipalities that has an unsecured compost yard waste center,” Mc Auly said. “I would like to potentially look at how we can secure this up.”