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Residents press Hamilton council over garbage pickup change and an unanswered animal-control call
Summary
Public commenters raised concerns about a change to township garbage pickup schedules (loss of a regular Saturday collection) and recounted an after-hours animal-control call that reportedly went unanswered; council asked staff to gather data on unanswered calls and to explore shared-service or on-call compensation options for animal-control coverage.
During the public-comment portion of the Hamilton Township reorganization meeting, residents pressed the council for clarity about recent changes to garbage pickup schedules and urged action after a reported failure of animal-control responders to answer an after-hours call.
A resident who identified a route and address asked why a prior Wednesday/Saturday pickup pattern changed and where the second weekly pickup was reassigned. The resident said the calendar they received indicated changes and asked how holiday pickups would be handled; council staff and members explained the Saturday pickup will be used only for holiday makeups and that regular routes were reconfigured.
Resident Steve Craig identified himself, described an after-hours call about two dogs left outside in near-freezing conditions, and said dispatch and health officers determined an ACO was needed but that ACOs did not answer. Craig said the caller was told to bring the dogs to the shelter or risk leaving them to fend for themselves overnight. "There should be a response," he said, urging the township to provide one rather than tell residents they were on their own.
Councilmembers acknowledged the concern, asked staff to gather information and suggested the Board of Health include shared-service agreements on its February meeting agenda. One councilmember asked for solid data on unanswered calls over the past 12 months and for an estimate of costs to create on-call compensation or other contractual arrangements. Staff said the relevant white-collar contract was settled for 2025 and runs approximately four years, and agreed to return with data and cost estimates.
Several councilmembers and residents proposed potential short-term and longer-term solutions: negotiate on-call pay with contracted ACOs, pursue shared services with neighboring jurisdictions, investigate whether police vehicles could be used for animal transport in unusual circumstances, or identify volunteer/waiver options. Councilmembers said they would reexamine the protocols, consider financial trade-offs and bring options back for further discussion.
No formal motion or policy change was adopted at the meeting; council direction centered on requesting information and possible contract/operation changes to improve after-hours animal-control response and to clarify garbage pickup schedules for residents.
