By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Although they couldn’t agree on the color, Hays city commissioners are agreeable to a request by the Public Works Department to change the supplier of its polycarts for solid waste collection.

Public Works Director I.D. Creech told commissioners during Thursday’s work session the city needs to purchase 400 more carts to replace aging carts and to have extras on hand for new customers.

“Single-family homes still have about 65 percent of the polycarts,” Creech said, “but duplexes are our biggest growth area, and that’s reflected in the increase of building permits for duplexes.”

The sole-source polycart purchase would be from Rehrig Pacific Co. in Desoto. The current supplier, Mid-Kart, no longer manufactures the style used by the city, although “they have a 10-year complete warranty on the ones we have,” Creech added.

The Rehrig carts are similar to what Hays is using and would be “less expensive and a little more thicker — durable,” according to Creech.

Commissioners tossed around the idea of outsourcing the collection of trash and recyclables, but agreed with Creech the city’s investment has resulted in a “very clean community.”

“That’s because of all the rules and regulations the city has regarding trash collection. The rates are in line with what a private hauler would charge customers.”

There are about 7,300 blue polycarts in the automated collection program which began in 2008. The purchase request will be considered for approval at next week’s regular Hays City Commission meeting.