Welcome to Cheney, Kansas!

The following letter was sent Nov. 27, 2007, to all residents of the City of Cheney.

In October and November, the City Council adopted a Residential Trash and Recycling Service for all City residences. This letter is intended to explain the reasoning for residential trash and recycling service, will describe the service, and will explain the process of switching over to the new trash and recycling service.

When multiple haulers drive up and down the alleys and streets, the streets and alleys deteriorate and cost the City in long term maintenance. It has been estimated that one trash truck wears down the street at the same level as 200-300 cars. By only having one trash service, the City can save your tax dollars on unnecessary street and alley maintenance.

Another reason for establishing a Residential Trash Service is that it can save individuals money. Current trash rates in Cheney range from the mid $50 per quarter for basic service up to $70 per quarter for other trash services. By contracting with one trash hauler for City service, the City has been able to negotiate a price with Lies Trash Service so that trash service will now be $16 per month. This will reduce the amount that Cheney residents pay to $48 per quarter.

The City will also be doing the billing for the trash service which will generate a small fund of money. The fund will generate approximately $12,000 which will be used for maintaining the streets and alleys. Starting in January of 2008, every City of Cheney, residential water customer will be assessed $16 per month on your utility bill for trash service.

City trash and recycling will begin on January 1, 2008. The trash hauler will pick up trash every Monday and will pick up the recycling on the first and third Monday of the month.

Lies Trash Service will provide each Cheney residence a 95 gallon trash cart and an 18 gallon recycling bin for the recyclables. For instructions on how to recycle refer to the brochure that Lies has provided. You will be responsible for having your trash and recyclables at the curb or alley by 7:00 a.m. on Mondays. You may also include in your trash up to six extra bags or bundles of limbs. Please remember that the point of recycling is to minimize the amount of trash being taken to the landfill. The City of Cheney encourages you to recycle; thus, keeping our trash rates low.

The City will bill you on the utility bill for the month for which the trash and recycling service will be provided. For example, January’s trash bill will appear on the January bill which is sent January 1. You are responsible for paying for the service just as you are for all utilities by the 17th of the month.

1.) You are required to notify your trash hauler that you will not need their services after January 1, 2008. We have included a draft letter which you will be able to send to your trash hauler requesting the termination of services or you may call your current trash hauler and terminate their services (Waste Connections, (316) 838-4920; Nisely Brothers, 1-866-662-6561; Waste Management 1-800-779-2021). Current Lies Trash Service Customers do not have to notify them that their trash service will be discontinued.

2.) Waste Connections has decided to waive the cart pick-up fee. On the last pick-up in December, Waste Connections will pick up your cart.

3.) Lies Trash Service will be setting out carts on Saturday the 29th of December. Current Lies Trash Service customers will not get a new cart but get to use their current cart.

4.) Enjoy using the City of Cheney Trash and Recycling Service contracted by Lies Trash Service. We hope that you take full advantage of the services that this new trash service will provide.

Small commercial water accounts can contact City Hall to see if you are eligible to get trash and recycling for your business. You will only be allowed to generate one cart and six bags of non-hazardous waste.

If you have further questions or comments, you can call us at 542-3622. If your trash is missed, you can call Lies Trash Service at 522-1699 to schedule a pick up on the next day.

As with all City utilities, January’s trash bill will be delinquent if it is not paid by the 17th of the month. It will also accrue a 5% delinquency penalty. You will have ten days to pay your utility and trash bill. If at the end of the ten days you do not pay your utility bill, then your trash service will be discontinued and your water will be shut off. During this ten days, you may come into City hall and request an extension of your utilities with a valid reason for why you can not pay your utilities. The City can give you an extension for a period of at most ten days. You will be responsible for paying your other City utilities in this extension period. If you can not pay your utilities in the extension period, your City utilities will be shut off.