EAST LIVERPOOL — Due to absences, city council had enough members in attendance to pass a few action items on first reading; however, it appears that members will have to meet another time later this month to finish the job.

During a brief meeting Tuesday night, council (with members Scott Barrett and John Mercer excused) approved three pieces of legislation, including a rate hike to refuse collection rates to pay for two new garbage trucks.

Rates previously were $22.90 per month.

Once approved, every tenant or occupant of a residential dwelling will pay $26.50 per month, or $318 annually.

This amounts to a $44 increase once passed.

According to city safety-service director Bill Jones, currently refuge crews are driving a “Frankensteiner” truck that had been built and put into service under the last administration as a cost cutting measure.

However, that particular truck breaks down regularly, so the purchase of the new trucks are necessary.

This increase would fund that purchase but not a replacement for the claw truck, which also is needed.

A larger hike would have been required to fund a new claw truck.

Jones estimated it would cost $327,000 each to fund the garbage trucks.

During his report, Finance Committee chairman Fred Rayl explained Tuesday night that the trucks would cost a total of $12,671 per month for two trucks.

He hopes to seek an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency grant next month to fund the $273,000 claw truck. Jones expects the grant would cover two-thirds of the claw truck purchase.

This would be the first rate adjustment since 2016 despite the department absorbing increasing gas prices, wages, landfill dumping fees as well as the cost of maintaining and repairing aging equipment and overtime caused by equipment breakdowns, according to Jones.

An active loan on the city’s newest refuse truck will be paid off in December.

Members also approved payment of $84,172 to MES for the fire department and $9,197 to BISSNUSS for the water department as well as an amendment of the budget ordinance to reflect a half million dollars in changes, including emptying out the remaining funds in the arson detection ($224.85) and drug law enforcement ($51.57) line items as well as receipt of $7,777 in opioid funds.

In other action, Debbie Fickes was appointed to the city’s Civil Service Commission. She will replace Pat Scafide.

Jones also announced the city has scheduled a ribbon cutting for its new car barn at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18. The structure will be located at 1443 Pennsylvania Ave.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com