SEQUIM — Privatization of garbage collection will mean better streets, at least during 2003.
The City Council guaranteed street repairs and improvements Wednesday when it transferred $500,000 in solid waste collection reserve funds to a fund earmarked for roads.
The council could have moved all of the money in the solid waste reserve fund — about $1 million — but Mayor Walt Schubert favored the smaller amount in case the city had to take over garbage collection in the future.
“We would need a little seed money if we had to start doing the collections again,” Schubert said.
The city has a contract with Waste Management Inc. to collect trash and Schubert said there is nothing to make him think there could be a change of status.
In previous budget discussions, Schubert has pushed to fund street repairs and improvements.
He said adding a $1 million annually over a 10-year period might help be enough to upgrade streets.
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