The Emporia City Commission reviewed a solid waste utility assessment and revenue recovery strategy presentation from Burns and McDonnell during their study session Wednesday.
The presentation, which took about five months for Burns and McDonnell to draft up after their field research and evaluations, showed that- though the City of Emporia’s solid waste strategy is sound- it’s a bit more lean in terms of staffing than other municipalities of similar size.
Further, the presentation showed there were some places where the city could bolster its revenue, which City Manager Trey Cocking said was the main reason he and the commission sought Burns and McDonnell’s study out.
This, paired with the cost of running transfer stations on Sundays and picking up cardboard for free are also causing gaps in the city’s revenue. To close those gaps, Cocking said there are a few options– one of which could mean charging residents for recycling and cardboard pickup in the future.
Though this won’t go in front of the commission for another three weeks, Cocking said residents could see solid waste changes as soon as December, though he noted he and the commission are working to ensure they do what’s best for the city’s revenue and the community as a whole.
Also on the study session agenda was the review of code revisions for electric bicycle and electric scooter safety, an issue Cocking said has been in front of the commission before.
Those classifications include a class one e-bike with a pedal assist that stops at 20 mph, a class two e-bike with a motor assist that stops at 20 mph and a class three e-bike with a pedal assist that stops at 28 mph. Other categories include an electric-assisted scooter, a micro-mobility device like an electric skateboard, mopeds and motorcycles.
As far as the proposed revisions go, Cocking said there are a few changes he and the commission are considering.
With young children of his own and with the holidays fast approaching, Cocking said this issue will go before the commission sooner rather than later to ensure community members know which e-bikes and scooters are legal and which are not.
Ultimately, the revisions to the current codes, Cocking said, are to ensure the safety of everyone, whether they’re on a bike or not.
Before the study session, the city commission voted to award $55,365 to the David Traylor Zoo for improvements on the zoo’s bison exhibit. According to zoo director Brenda Young, the funding will go toward the construction of a new exhibit to house more bison in the near future.
