Livingston staff report parks projects, tree plantings, recycling and solid-waste cost savings

City staff provided operational updates from parks and solid waste.

Park Superintendent Mike Skaggs reviewed maintenance responsibilities (including a 22-acre cemetery), playgrounds and picnic shelters, trail miles (about 11 miles inside city limits), and irrigation and pool-splash-park seasonal schedules. Skaggs highlighted a tree-planting partnership (Livingston Loves Trees) that will install about 56 trees this week and has assisted in planting roughly 437 trees over recent years. Commissioners asked about north-side parks and CIP submissions; Skaggs said CIPs would be forthcoming.

Solid Waste Superintendent Van Garrick reported operational metrics and recent initiatives: roughly 3,482 residential cans on weekly routes, ~360 business accounts, city truck-collected totals of about 5,500 tons year-to-year and transfer-station throughput of approximately 14,200 tons. Van described a pilot food-composting partnership and a successful spring cleanup event (about 25,000 pounds and 50 cubic yards taken over two days). He said the city began self-hauling to Logan landfill in September and currently averages haul costs near $45/ton compared with about $75/ton under previous arrangements, representing substantial operating savings. Van also described a pilot for in-station reuse of recovered building material and free compost for residents (self-load or small fee for staff loading).

Commissioners praised staff partnerships and asked follow-up budget and equipment questions such as whether additional trailers or a backup truck would be needed to sustain self-hauling savings. Staff said extra equipment would reduce operational risk from breakdowns but that the program is saving money even accounting for incremental maintenance needs.

Next steps: staff will circulate slide materials and follow up with commissioners on specific CIP items and equipment requests for the upcoming budget process.