Fulton City Council took care of numerous routine matters during Tuesday evening's city council meeting, from approving changes to city's recycling programs to discussing the Fulton recreation center's new name.

Recycling

An ordinance formalizing recent proposed changes to the city's residential curbside recycling program was on Tuesday's agenda to receive a first reading.

The city loses around $195,000 annually on its three main recycling programs: residential recycling, household hazardous waste and yard waste collection, Fulton Assistant Director of Administration Robert Boone said. In an attempt to reduce costs, the city has voted to move its yard waste collection bins to the city warehouse (1303 Westminster Ave.) in hopes of cutting down on illicit dumping by commercial businesses and non-residents; to up the cost to rent a recycling cart to $2; and to make renting a cart mandatory for curbside recycling participation.

Bill 1599 formalizes the latter change in the city's code.

However, city council members noted the new code doesn't specify the changes aren't to take affect until the city has enough recycling bins to go around. There's likely to still be a waiting list by Jan. 1, according to the city.

"We're still waiting on cans we ordered in July," Fulton Director of Administration Bill Johnson said.

So, instead of passing the bill to its second reading Tuesday, council members allowed the motion to die so City Clerk Courtney Crowson can make the necessary changes. It'll be back on the agenda at the Nov. 24 meeting.

Boone presented several additional potential cost-saving measures, which the city council also agreed to adopt.

Recycling and yard-waste collection switching to every other week, rather than weekly, in 2021. This would mean resuming yard waste and recycling collection during holiday weeks, except when a holiday falls on a Friday, in which case collection will occur the following Monday. Recycling collection's first week will be Jan. 4 and yard waste, Jan. 11.

Household hazardous waste collection occurring one Saturday per month rather than twice monthly; collection would also exclude latex paint. Collection will take place on the second Saturday of each month, April through October.

Boone said latex paint may be safely discarded in the regular trash if the container's lid is left off and the paint is allowed to dry out.

"These steps are just to try to keep this program sustainable," Fulton Mayor Lowe Cannell said.

Rec center

Clay Caswell, Fulton's Parks and Recreation director, first proposed the name "Legends Rec Plex" for the city's new community recreation center in September. It appeared on the agenda for city council's approval Tuesday night, but ultimately council members decided not to vote until Fulton's park board makes an official recommendation on the name.

"I'm uncomfortable passing this without a recommendation," Ward 2 City Council member Jeff Stone said.

Caswell said he'll try to ensure the park board meets and has a chance to approve the name before the city council's final meeting of 2020 in December.

If adopted, the name will be reflected in the building's interior decor, which will be themed around famed people — "community legends" — who have connections to Fulton and Callaway County. Those people could be cultural, sports, business, political or military icons. Options listed in Tuesday's agenda include Olympians Helen Stephens and Dick Ault, author Henry Bellaman, artist Nick Cave, structural engineer William Baker and others.

Caswell said he'll reach out to living "legends," or the family members of those who are now deceased, for permission to use their images and story in the center.

Other business

City council members passed an agreement between the City of Fulton and the Callaway Chamber of Commerce and Fulton Area Development Foundation. In 2021, the city will provide $78,000 in funds to the chamber for its economic development efforts.

Council members also authorized a contract between the city and Central Security Systems of Jefferson City to provide a security system for the recreation center. Resolution 3386 estimates the upfront cost to the city at $50,000, plus a $45 monthly monitoring fee.

Cannell announced candidate filing for prospective Ward 1-4 council members and city prosecuting attorney opens at 8 a.m. Dec. 15 and closes at 5 p.m. Jan. 19. Packets are available now at the Fulton city clerk's office. Ward 3 council member Lindsey Pace-Snook, who first joined the council in 2019, announced she doesn't plan to run again.

The general municipal election will take place April 6.