BELLA VISTA — Icy snow-covered streets have stopped Republic Services from picking up trash since Dec. 5.
Mayor Frank Anderson said company officials have checked roads every morning since to see if the routes could be run.
The officials come to Bella Vista early — between 4:30 and 5 a.m. — and drive the routes for that day to see if the company’s trucks will be able to negotiate the roads, Anderson said.
Dec. 5 started out fine, but the weather turned bad and one truck got stuck halfway through its route, so the company pulled all of its trucks off the roads.
Republic officials have been out every morning since and have determined they can’t run the routes.
Republic sent trucks out Wednesday, but one got stuck and officials brought them back in, Anderson said.
“We do run with chains,” said Jennifer Fagan, area senior municipal manager for Republic. “Safety is important to us and the community. We cannot send crews out if the roads are not clear. We don’t want an accident or to hurt anyone.”
Republic can make up a one-day delay during the week, but it can’t make up two days in a week, Anderson said.
“If two days in the same week are missed for whatever reason, those days will be missed and trash will be picked up on the next regular day,” he said.
Republic can’t catch up and maintain a schedule the following week, he said.
“The real problem will be if they are unable to get out Thursday or Friday,” Anderson said, because it will be a week since some residents have had their trash picked up.
Republic also runs routes in Bentonville. A note on the city website on Wednesday said any trash not picked up Monday will be picked up Dec. 16.
Anderson is working with Republic to place large trash receptacles around Bella Vista.
He hoped to have the large bins in place Wednesday at the Highlands Golf Course cart parking lot west of the Highlands Clubhouse and at Bella Vista Way and Trafalgar Road in the lot at the southeast corner of the intersection.
A third location is being looked at on the east side of the city if trash pickup delays continue, he said.