WEST LOGAN — Members of the West Logan Town Council discussed that municipality’s garbage service at the August 14 meeting.

Councilmember Jamie Browning asked Mayor Darren Akers about the comparison from last year to this year in terms of what the service was costing the town and what it was bringing in. Mayor Akers noted that last month the small town went in the hole on the service due to $6,000 in repair bills for the garbage truck. Akers said that the tipping fees at the dump may go up as well, which could mean the service might have to increase to cover the difference. However, a late bill was paid which helped the town out financially this month.

"The sanitation bill was down, and we collected quite a bit more this month," Councilman Mark Mareske said, noting that the town collected over $3,000 in business and occupation taxes.

Mayor Akers noted it was owed to the town by the Groundbreakers Construction company which left town months ago without paying what it was owed. The company had claimed it paid the taxes to the town of Logan. However, it hadn't paid the town of Logan either at that point, noted West Logan Police Chief Robert Ward who contacted the company and told them to pay up.

Akers also noted last months garbage expenses were unusually high due to the extensive repair bill on the truck and the cost of renting other vehicles. When Browning asked how old the town's garbage truck was, Mark Mareske said the town had it about six years.

"It seems to me that we are going in a hole on garbage," Browning said.

Mayor Akers pointed out that it could possibly wind up costing residents more to go with Waste Management as part of the monthly garbage fee is for municipal fees. Akers said the garbage service was not a moneymaker, but was seen as a service the town provided the residents. Akers also noted that street department employees Glen Dingess, Les Dempsey and others did more than just pick up garbage as they were responsible for other chores as well. Without a street department, the town would have to hire out to have those chores done.

In other West Logan news:

• West Logan Police Chief Robert Ward said things had been a lot quieter since some local trouble spots had cleared up. Ward noted that the Mountain Trail Inn is under new management, which had evicted some problematic renters who lured other trouble in the form of prostitutes and drug activity into town usually during the first of the month.

Ward noted the hotel is also being renovated again and said he hopes it does well and avoids past mistakes and the troubles that came with them.

"It's been very quiet in the neighborhood," Mayor Akers said.

•Mayor Akers asked the town council for approval to draft a letter to the City of Logan Fire Department thanking them for changing the lights at the four way intersection and to make a $100 donation to the Logan Fire Department to show their appreciation. Akers said that as all the red lights had burned out on one side the situation could have lead to a tragedy without the assistance of the Logan Fire Department.

•Councilmembers spoke about complaints regarding stray animals. Mayor Akers asked Chief Adkins to look into obtaining a tranquilizer gun. Ward had noted the dog pound had been contacted about strays but did not seem willing to actually come and capture them.

"If a dog attacks somebody, it could be an emergency situation,” Mayor Akers said.