I am a regular home user of the current recycling facility, but as a full-time working professional, it’s challenging to get my recyclables there before it closes on Saturday at noon. Can the hours be extended by even an hour or two on Saturday and staggered on at least one day during the week? This would be more convenient and attractive to eco-conscious people who live or are considering living in the area.
The Public Works Department has tried to keep the recycling center open for extended hours in the past but ran into problems with people dumping garbage, trash and other items at the center during off hours. So the hours were reduced, and the center is now kept open only when Sanitation staff is on duty to monitor it.
The Public Works Department is in the process of putting together a survey aimed at giving the City more insight into what sanitation/recycling customers want and are willing to pay for. That information, along with costs, etc., will be considered going forward. It will be important for citizens to make their priorities known during the survey period, because that will help determine the future of recycling in Bartlesville. Bartlesville residents will be hearing a lot more about this as the project moves forward.
What about that Mountain Road rehab?
I thought there was a plan to resurface one of the Circle Mountain roads several months ago, yet I have not heard any more news about it. Can you provide an update, please?
Contract crews are set to start construction on a project to rehabilitate the front entry to Circle Mountain on Jan. 7. According to Director of Engineering Micah Siemers, the project consists of milling the top two inches of asphalt, applying full depth patches in some sections, and overlaying it all with two inches of asphalt on Mountain Road from the top of the hill to the bottom.
A contract for the work was awarded by the City Council a couple of months ago to the same contractor currently constructing sidewalks in the area of Hoover Elementary and Madison Middle Schools. That project is nearly complete, allowing contract crews to move to the Mountain Road project. The January date will also help minimize disruption to Circle Mountain residents during the holiday season.
Bag, don’t blow
Is it illegal for my neighbor to blow his leaves into the street instead of raking and bagging them?
Yes, it is. Yard waste blown into the street is considered a public nuisance and is enforced by the Community Development Department’s Neighborhood Services Division. To report a nuisance, see www.cityofbartlesville.org or call the hotline at 918.338.4230. Also, remember the Public Works Department collects leaves and grass (and branches, if cut into four-foot bundles) at no additional cost at least two times during the fall and winter season in an effort to reduce the leaf population! The next collection is Dec. 17-21. See www.cityofbartlesville.org for details.
Got trees? Make mulch
Will the City collect used Christmas trees again this year near Sooner Park to be ground up for mulch?
Yes, the City of Bartlesville will offer free Christmas tree mulching again this season at the upper level parking lot of Sooner Park. Undecorated trees may be dropped off at the designated fenced area, located just east of Madison Boulevard. Mulch will be made available to the public. More information will be available on this later this month.
No ODOT plan for Adams @ tracks
Are there any plans to smooth the rail road crossing on Adams? It’s terrible, especially traveling west.
Adams Boulevard is actually State Highway 60 and is owned and maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The City of Bartlesville has not been advised of any plans by ODOT to rehab Adams Boulevard.