Delphi Mayor Randy Strasser told the city council members Monday night that he expects to receive questions about the change in the city's trash removal. He said he is ready to talk to anyone who calls or drops by to discuss the changes in the city service.

Strasser didn't have to wait long for a question to be presented to him. Rhineland Mobile Home Park owner Roland Breece said 44 of the 46 spaces in the park were filled. City water is included in the rent at the trailer park, therefore Breece will receive a $10 bill for each occupied residence in the park beginning this month.

After being told the company hired to provide trash removal for the city would be providing the same service for trailer park tenants, Breece asked street commissioner Aaron Lyons if he was allowed to make alternative trash removal arrangements. Lyons referred the property owner to the mayor who arranged to meet with him at a later date.

In a follow-up interview with the Comet Breece said he discovered he could get a commercial trash dumpster for $110/month, or about one-fourth the cost of the city service. He said the trailer park water bill is roughly $920/month and after the addition of trash removal costs, it will be nearly $1,400/month.

Breece said he spoke with Strasser in November and December but did not understand the real impact of the changes in the trash removal on his business. He said he received a telephone call from a tenant Monday afternoon explaining how this would affect him.

Lyons said residents should have containers and trash on the curb at 7 a.m. every Tuesday. He stated the city trash truck is now the property of the new vendor. Lyons said the city would continue to remove yard waste when appropriate.

Other business

Council member Carolyn Pearson was unanimously elected 2009 council president.

Strasser distributed a written report about the condition of city wells and water level done by a professional organization. He said the goal was to develop a city-owned wells back-up plan.

The mayor reported the city did not use $217,363.63 of 2008 appropriations. He said the general fund budget accounted for approximately 30 percent of the total budget. Personnel services were roughly 50 percent of total appropriations for the year.

Strasser said there was an opening on the city's park board. He said all other city appointments would remain the same for 2009 as they were last year.

The police department issued more warnings, served more warrants, took more information reports and cited more animal control violations than in the same time period last year. However, fewer felony and misde- meanor arrests, accidents investigated, felony reports and parking tickets issued were reported.

Chief Justin Darling said the transition to combined dispatch was completed Monday. He called the move "pretty smooth" and said the system "seems to be going well."

Strasser said city and county officials will meet with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) the third week of January to discuss SR25 road relinquishments.

Park superintendent Richard Farrer reported his office has completed a move from the city building to the Stone Barn. He said the current telephone number would be used to contact the department until further notice.

The council will meet the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. except for September, when it will meet on the second Monday due to the Labor Day holiday. The board of works will meet at 6:30 p.m. prior to each council meeting and on the third Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m., except in February when it will meet Feb. 18 at the same time.

The next council meeting will be Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.