By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners will meet in regular session Tuesday, Nov. 21, rather than Thursday, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Agenda items include purchase of a 3-yard solid waste stationary compactor for the recycling facility. Commissioners are expected to approve the low bid of $18,375.00 from Ace Equipment Company, Antigo, Wisconsin.

The current 2-yard compactor, located on the south side of the building, has been in use for 17 years, according to Public Works Director Jesse Rohr.

The compactor is used by Solid Waste staff to compact all co-mingle recyclable materials which includes glass, aluminum and grade 1-7 plastics. The materials are debagged, fed onto a conveyor belt, and continue on into the compactor where they are compacted and fed into a 6-yard roll-off container.

Once full, which takes seven working days, the roll-off is hauled away by Waste Connections, Hutchinson, and an empty container is left in place.

Stutzman Refuse Disposal in Hutchinson processes the recycling for Hays.

“They’ve had our contract since 2008,” Rohr told commissioners last week. “They are actually one of the only centers in Kansas, in the area at all, that will accept the co-mingled material the way Hays recycles.”

“When it comes to recycling or composting operations by the Solid Waste Division, Hays is ranked right up there near the top, if not the top, in the state,” he added.

Commissioner Sandy Jacobs thanked the employees for keeping the compactor in good working condition for so long. “Any time we take our equipment past its’ expected life, is really appreciated. So taking it beyond the 15 years we thought we’d have, is a good deal.”