T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Knight Sanitation Owner Kellie Drury, left, speaks during Monday night’s Marshalltown city council meeting. The council voted 5-2 to deny the Eldora-based company’s garbage and refuse license application.

The owner of an Eldora-based sanitation company came before the Marshalltown city council on Monday night to request a garbage and refuse license, but it was denied by a 5-2 vote as some councilors referenced an ongoing solid waste study and the impact garbage trucks can have on the city’s streets.

Knight Sanitation Owners Dan and Kellie Drury were both in attendance at the meeting, and City Clerk Alicia Hunter said their application was completed along with proof of insurance, meeting all of the requirements in city code. Kellie Drury stepped forward to the speaking podium and said they have received “a lot of phone calls” from people who reside in Marshalltown inquiring about potentially moving in and making their services available.

“We thought we would reach out to the city and see if it’s something we can do to move our business this way,” she said.

Councilor Greg Nichols quickly asked if the company offered recycling services, which were not included in the application, and Drury responded that they do. Fellow Councilor Mike Ladehoff felt it would be wise to offer recycling as all of the other haulers operating within the community do so.

From there, Councilor Melisa Fonseca asked Drury about what areas the company services — they currently work in Union, New Providence, rural Hardin County and other communities in the county without specified contracts, and they just signed a contract with the city of Eldora. Councilor Mark Mitchell then asked her how many people have contacted the Drurys about coming to Marshalltown.

“We have owned Knight Sanitation for two years now, and we probably get five to six phone calls from Marshalltown a week, which is quite a bit. It’s a lot that we turn down. So we’re just looking to move into this area, and we’re getting the phone calls,” Drury said. “I assume if we open ourselves up to saying that we are allowed to be in town and we can serve the community, I bet we would probably get a lot more.”

Jeff Schneider then reminded his fellow councilors that an ongoing solid waste study is being conducted in the community to figure out the future of how the service should be provided in Marshalltown, and he didn’t feel comfortable approving a new hauler if major changes are on the horizon.

“I’ll be voting no on this. After we get done with that study, you’d be welcome to come back, as far as I’m concerned, if this doesn’t get approved, but I’m not so sure we need more garbage trucks going up and down the streets,” he said.

Councilor Gary Thompson inquired about whether the owners would potentially rent or buy property in Marshalltown or simply send haulers down from Eldora, which is located about 35 miles to the northwest. To start with, she replied, they would travel down, but if the business became profitable in Marshalltown, they would explore leasing or buying space here to have dumpsters and totes within the community.

In response to another question from Thompson, Drury said the garbage would legally have to be disposed of at the Marshall County Landfill as opposed to being taken back to Hardin County. With no public comments, a vote to approve the license failed by a 5-2 tally with Fonseca and Ladehoff in favor and Mitchell, Nichols, Schneider, Thompson and Barry Kell opposed.

After the vote was taken, Mayor Joel Greer explained that the city’s nuisance task force is looking into the street damage caused by garbage trucks, and Drury said the towns they are currently serving have gone through similar processes.

“If you guys ever need to call and see how that stuff’s going, just let us know. We’ve been working with other cities as well,” she said.

Greer added that they may still have the opportunity to bid on the service in the future.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

• Approved device retailer licenses as required by a new Iowa law for the Lounge on Main, Eastside Liquor and Grocery, Greenleaf Tobacco and Vape and Depot Liquor and Grocery.

• Approved minimum assessment agreements for Timber Ridge Senior LP doing business as Clock Tower Senior LP and Aust Incorporated (Marshalltown Self Storage).

• Approved a purchase agreement and providing for the conveyance and transfer of a small sliver of land at 14 W. Main St. to Melinda Uitermarkt and Stepping Stones Christian Bookstore.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.