MONROE - The City of Monroe will keep its trash pickup services within the city, using city employees.

The Common Council voted 8-1 Tuesday, Oct. 16 to use up to $950,000 from the current fund balance, to be repaid by trash fees, to purchase two new automated garbage trucks and trash containers for the city service. Tyler Schultz voted against the motion made by Michael Boyce and seconded by Tom Miller.

The motion Tuesday is similar to a failed motion made on July 17. A two-thirds vote was needed at the time, because the resolution was a change to the 2012 budget.

The new motion passed easily on a two-thirds majority, although City Administrator Phil Rath said it did not need majority. However, Tom Boll, supervisor of the street department, asked for the majority vote, so the city could proceed with ordering and paying for the chassis this year, in time for the trucks to be completed by spring. The city could save about $2,500 to $3,000 by paying for the chassis now, instead of waiting. The current garbage trucks, now 10 years old, have about 6 to 8 months of life left, he said.

The fund will be repaid to the city through trash fees, but the new motion does not include the 3-percent interest rate found in the previous motion.

"We have the money levied for it," Boyce said. "I think it's unfair to charge taxpayers the 3 percent."

The motion Tuesday picked up acceptance from three additional aldermen, Boyce, Brooke Bauman and Louis Armstrong who, along with Schultz, had voted against the July motion.

Part of the change in aldermen's votes came, no doubt in response, to city employees.

"The services city employees perform, we would probably not have with an outside vendor," Jan Lefevre said. "Money is a big, major factor, but we have to think about the services performed ... Money isn't always the only issue." Lefevre also expressed concern about the county transfer station closing if a hired vendor decides not to use it.

One city employee, John McDermott, who collects trash and recycling for the city, spoke of city employees providing added value in services. McDermott pointed out he and others collect trash after special events and at city properties, which would require large trash bins if vendors were hired. City workers make special efforts to collect trash for handicapped and elderly and for those who forget to put trash out in time. They also provide same day pick-up of bulky wastes, he added.

A representative of Pellitteri Waste Systems said his company does prove some of those special services, but he also noted handicapped or elderly needed waivers from a doctor to get front-door pick-up and clients with forgotten trash need to pay a small fee, about $10, for the pickup crews to come back.