Ellington

Soddy-Daisy officials are debating if they will continue to provide garbage service to six mobile home parks in the city. The issue was raised at the July 26 commission meeting, and commissioners chose to postpone the vote until the Aug. 2 meeting to allow the business owners and residents a chance to voice their opinion.

“As a taxpayer in this city, I do not think it’s appropriate for me to pay for garbage to be picked up in a trailer park,” said resident Arnold Stulce during the July 26 meeting. “The rest of us should not pay for them to grow their business.”

The city pays its contractor $3,700 for the garbage service it currently provides at six mobile home parks. The other two mobile home parks in the city contract with their own garbage service providers.

Vice Mayor Janice Cagle feels the city should eliminate garbage service to all mobile home parks.

“It’s something that needs to be addressed,” said City Attorney Sam Elliott. “We’ve got to treat the same [type] business the same.”

City Manager Hardie Stulce said if city officials decide to provide service to all mobile home parks, the city would pay $4,100 more for the service than it receives from the parks’ owners in property taxes.

“We need to adjust the fees to at least break even,” said Mayor Jim Adams.

Mobile home park owners pay taxes on their property as a whole, even though the city collects trash from multiple individuals living in a park.

Hardie Stulce recommended if the city decides to continue to provide service to the parks, it should charge the property owner a fee for each individual residence in the park.

“[The park owner] should not pay any different rate than what we collect from any residential customer,” he said. “I personally feel like it is a private business.

“I don’t think we ought to be the middle man in the contract.”

Resident Margaret Chastain asked commissioners what the city would do if mobile home park owners fail to contract with their own garbage service providers and trash begins to pile up.

“We can shut the place down as a nuisance,” said Elliott.

The commission also deferred its decision concerning the rezoning of a tract of land on Barbee Road from R-5 Single Lot Mobile Home District to MH Mobile Home District.

Neighboring resident Bob Holloway complained to commissioners about trash at the property, which he said he has been doing for several years.

“I don’t have any objection to anybody having a place to live, I just want them to keep it clean,” he said.