A trash service increase, a pair of citizens’ concerns and some good financial news greeted the Mineola City Council Monday.

The trash hike, three percent, will mean a 33-cent increase in the $11.50 monthly rate city residents pay to have Republic Services haul off their garbage. The increase is built into the city’s contract based on the Consumer Price Index.

This marks the second straight yearly increase after two years with no hikes.

Jeanne Holloway of Sue Lane expressed her concern that a recently installed “Slow-Children at Play” sign on the street could give children a misplaced sense of safety while also being placed at a spot that does not protect all the children on the street.

She suggested instead a speed limit sign, lowering the standard speed from 30 miles per hour for an unmarked residential street.

Other states reserve those signs only for public areas such as parks and schools, not residential streets, she noted.

Jay Cloud, who has been a regular visitor to the council concerning duplexes being built in his neighborhood of Kings Lane, thanked the city for its diligence in cleaning up a creek but added that he remains concerned that the duplex project will overwhelm the sewer lines. He also questioned whether the burn pile on the property will have to comply with the same city burning restrictions as other residents.

He noted that the project was first proposed for five duplexes but a recent posting shows six units.

Fire Marshal David Madsen said the project’s drainage plans had passed muster with the city’s engineering firm, KSA. He said he would follow up on the burn pile.

The city’s annual financial audit showed the city has no issues with its accounting practices and had increased the fund balance to almost $2.7 million, or 41% of operations.

City Manager Mercy Rushing said the goal is 50%.

The city managed to increase the savings through better than budgeted revenues – primarily sales taxes – while spending less than budgeted.