Automated roll carts could be on November ballot

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

Columbia City Council voted Monday night on the possibility of transitioning to roll carts for solid waste removal.

City Council voted 4-3 in favor of possibly adding roll carts to the November ballot, where residents will be asked which method of trash removal they prefer.

The community would vote to repeal the city''s ordinance which states roll carts and automated services cannot be used.

Ward 5 Council Member Matt Pitzer described the process city council will go through in order to get roll carts onto the ballot.

"If new legislation is introduced in August and then considered in the second meeting in August where long term plans are discussed, and if it was adopted, then it would be on the November ballot," he said.

Back in 2016, the vote to ban roll carts was 17,728 votes in favor and 15,214 opposing. This ban restricted City Council from moving forward in any way on roll carts.

This year Mayor Brian Treece was against repealing the city's ordinance.

"Adding this too the ballot probably conflates the real issue and that is our desire to reinstate curbside pickup, we have an ordinance that says it shall be weekly it just cant be suspended indefinitely." he said.

Pizer said the system in place is no longer working and the community should be able to vote on a form of pickup.

"The system is falling apart as evidence by this indefinite suspension of a service that people clearly want and we are unable to deliver it and patch it up for a little bit but its going to break again."

Sixth Ward Councilwoman Betsy Peters, Second Ward Councilman Mike Trapp, Fourth Ward Councilman Ian Thomas, and Matt Pitzer voted to support a November vote. While Mayor Treece, First Ward Councilwoman Pat Fowler and Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala opposed it.