BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Refuse pickups were once again a topic of conversation during a recent village board meeting, with Department of Public Works Superintendent Marty Miller noting that crews were running into pickups with oversized trash cans and lack of clear bags

But Miller said the use of bags not up to village code may not be the fault of residents, rather it may be tied to a supply issue.

Miller said the definition of clear bags has been a hot topic with the Refuse Department.

“I talked with the crew and people were basically buying boxes of bags, and then the store says clear on them. You kind of have to accept it," Miller said.

Those bags, however, are not entirely clear but rather heavily tinted. Miller said that makes it difficult for crews to see in them, causing sorting issues.

“I guess you still can see through it. It’s not fair to the people that are going to the store and buying their bags,” Miller said.

Miller said the board needs to look at the issue and potentially make adjustments to ensure residents are in the clear with the use of the bags.

He suggested the village also converse with local stores to see if there were other options available for residents to purchase to ensure they were compliant with village code.

Miller had previously suggested bulk purchasing the bags for residents as a cost saving measure when village officials opted to update village code, at which time DPW would sell the bags at cost to residents but those plans never materialized.

Miller also touched on issues with trash can sizes after village officials also updated and clarified code in recent months following complaints of bags and cans being "tagged" for not meeting code.

In those cases, DPW crews were not picking up trash leading to numerous complaints from taxpayers.

But with code state residents can only have a maximum of five, 34-gallon containers of garbage, waste or recycling material out for collection at one time with a weight no more than 40 pounds, Miller said the code is now pretty clear.

“It’s unfortunate that some people have been allowed to use the wrong size can for how many years. But, you know, the code is there for a reason, and I always say follow the code and we’re going to be okay. Well, that’s what we’re trying to do right now. So, there’s been some pretty irate taxpayers, which I understand," he said.

Miller said DPW staff are expelling the situation and trying to work with residents as they move forward to help resolve those issues.

Refuse pickups have been a topic of discussion for several months now, ranging from trash bin sizes to bag selections and rates set by the county and Development Authority of the North Country and how that affects taxpayers in the end.

Village trustees had weighed possibly changing village code last fall to allow for 45-gallon trash bins, a move that was supported by a handful of meeting attendees, however opted against the change citing concerns over the weight limit and possible worker compensation claims.

Village Administrator Monique Chatland and Mayor Greg Paquin both said after careful review of the code and possible implications it would be in the best interest of the village to maintain a 34-gallon limit as crews handle refuse by hand.

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