Lewisburg council approves speed bumps, new cemetery contract and 12-month solid‑waste trial

Lewisburg — The Lewisburg Town Council on Aug. 12 approved several resolutions and policy changes aimed at traffic calming, cemetery maintenance, utilities operations and solid‑waste collection.

The council voted to install bolt‑down rubber speed bumps (two on Edgewood Drive and two on Allen Lane) and to add two signage installations at Wilder Street and Edgewood Drive. Town staff told the council the bolt‑down units are a removable option and the initial installation for the neighborhood package is expected to cost about $2,600. "This project as we've explained it . . . is gonna run about $2,600," Town Manager (Mr. Brown) said during discussion.

The council also voted to dissolve the existing cemetery grounds maintenance contract and award a new 12‑month contract to Valencia Lawn Care. Staff reported two complete bids: Valencia Lawn Care at $53,340 and Bridal Oak Landscaping at $59,322; the town's current contract cost is $37,068 for service at two cemeteries. Staff said accepting Valencia's bid would increase cemetery maintenance spending by roughly $16,272 and that funding would be handled with a budget amendment later in the year. Resident Anne Brown told the council Oakwood Cemetery is "almost a forest" and asked for better upkeep.

On solid waste, the council adopted a comprehensive solid‑waste collection policy on a 12‑month trial basis. Under the plan household trash collection will be consolidated to Monday and Tuesday routes, bulk items will be collected on Fridays by appointment, and yard waste will be collected twice weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The draft policy proposes placing carts at the curb by 5 a.m. on collection day, offers a second cart at a proposed additional rate of $10.75 per month, and recommends increasing the town's drop‑off container rental fee from $50 to $100. Staff emphasized the Franklin County Landfill does not accept brown paper or compostable yard bags for the yard‑waste stream and that solid‑waste tipping is currently $52 per ton (yard waste $40/ton).

Council members also approved a formal tree‑trimming policy for the electric department establishing a 15‑foot right‑of‑way clearance around power lines and clarifying notice procedures for trees in the historic district. The policy gives owners in sensitive areas the option, at their expense, to arrange an aesthetic trimming if they prefer a different look than the utility's standard health‑based cuts.

Other actions approved included a resolution declaring assorted town property surplus and authorizing sale on govdeals.com; reclassification of the vacant collection and distribution system supervisor position (staff said the pay grade would move from grade 16 to 18); adoption of a career ladder program for the fire department; and a council decision that the future economic development coordinator/grant writer position will report directly to the council and involve council participation in hiring.

Votes at a glance - Resolution to install speed bumps (Edgewood Drive, Allen Lane) and add signs at Wilder/Edgewood — motion approved (mover/second not specified in the record). Cost estimate: about $2,600. Outcome: approved. - Resolution to declare surplus and sell listed items on govdeals.com — motion approved. Outcome: approved. Staff noted proceeds return to originating department/fund. - Resolution to dissolve current cemetery grounds maintenance contract and award new contract to Valencia Lawn Care ($53,340) — motion approved. Current contract: $37,068; expected increase: $16,272. Outcome: approved. - Resolution adopting tree‑trimming policy for the electric department (15‑foot ROW clearance; notice provisions for historic district) — motion approved. Outcome: approved. - Resolution reclassifying vacant collection & distribution system supervisor from hourly to salaried (pay grade change cited) — motion approved. Outcome: approved. - Resolution adopting a proposed comprehensive solid‑waste collection policy on a 12‑month trial — motion approved. Key points: household collection Mon/Tue; bulk by appointment Fri; yard waste Wed/Thu; additional cart $10.75/month; drop‑off container fee proposed at $100; curbside rules and exemptions for medical needs. Outcome: approved (trial 12 months). - Resolution adopting career ladder program for Lewisburg Fire Department — motion approved. Outcome: approved. - Motion that future EDC/grant‑writer position report directly to the council and that the council participate in hiring — motion approved. Outcome: approved.

Why it matters The package of approvals affects routine services that touch most households — trash and yard‑waste pickup — changes to public‑space maintenance (cemeteries and trees near power lines), and safety measures in residential neighborhoods. A new cemetery contractor and explicit utility and solid‑waste policies set standards staff will use to manage recurring complaints; the council authorized a 12‑month solid‑waste trial so officials can gather operational data before making permanent changes.

What council members and residents said Resident Anne Brown, 301 Edgewood Drive, asked the council to address poor maintenance at Oakwood Cemetery: "When I go out there, it is almost a forest. You can't walk out there." Town Manager Brown and other staff described the RFP process and said the current contractor did not submit a new bid.

Council members debated the scope of traffic calming and whether measures would simply shift speeding to adjacent streets; one council member urged a longer study before lowering citywide speed limits, while others pressed for immediate measures on neighborhood streets.

Next steps and implementation - Staff will provide the 12‑month solid‑waste trial calendar, forms and direct mailers to all active utility accounts before the new schedule goes live. - If Valencia Lawn Care is engaged, staff will issue the required 15‑day written notice to the incumbent contractor and implement the new contract; any necessary budget amendment will be proposed later in the fiscal year. - Tree trimming and electric‑department contractor procurement steps were described as upcoming; notice language for historic‑district property owners will be clarified before publication.

Ending Councilmembers said they expect staff to return with operational data from the solid‑waste trial and to monitor the neighborhood speed‑bump installations for effectiveness; residents urged clear communication about start dates and exemption processes for the new trash rules.