Talk of Trash Cuts Rankle Ellisville Leaders

A preliminary draft of the next Ellisville city budget was getting criticism from the Mayor and at least one member of the city council ahead of a Tuesday night hearing.

The draft attempts to find $497,000 in cost savings for 2014 by eliminating trash and recycling services as part of more than $1.3 million in cuts to balance the budget which also includes suggested cuts of brush and leaf pickup, upgrades for the city's website and police handguns.

As KMOX reported, Mayor Adam Paul claims  the proposed cuts to trash are part of an attempt to color the long-running debate in the city over bringing Walmart to town. The station said Paul called it "a ploy by staff members to make it seem like a long-disputed Walmart development is necessary or services will disappear." 

Councilman Matt Pirrello told the station he believed the city had the funds for the service now but did suggest longer term issues if the development does not go forward.

Councilwoman Cindy Pool told Patch she was hopeful of coming up with a solution and that he hoped trash service would not be cut. 

The draft document indicates that Allied Waste, the city's provider, would still need to be approached about changes to the trash contract.

Acting City Manager Andrea Muskopf, who is running the city's day-to-day operations while the fate of City Manager Kevin Bookout, who has appealed a preliminary vote removing him from office, emphasized that the budget is strictly in a preliminary phase and that "ultimately, it is the council's budget."

A budget must be approved by January 1.

Muskopf declined comment on questions surrounding the suggested link between the service cuts and the proposed Walmart development.


Editor's note: This story has been updated