Hancock’s new garbage truck has arrived in town. The vehicle is a 2024 Freightliner M2 with a Heil PT1100 rear loader. Hancock has finalized the city’s purchase of the new equipment before garbage and recycling services are placed under public control. The vehicle cost Hancock $248,000. Hancock will have to increase garbage collection fees, but City Manager Mary Babcock added that the cost will be less than if the city government takes over garbage collection.

This increases your water bill from six dollars to fifteen dollars to cover the cost of garbage collection. And then you have the remaining dollar per day. So at least part of the cost is billed based on usage. So if you produce less garbage, you pay a little less. – Mary Babcock, City Administrator, City of Hancock

A renewed contract with Waste Management would have raised the fees above $20. In another move, the council appointed Jonathon Negel to the Downtown Development Authority. His term ends in 2027. Councilman Rick Freeman was appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Other items on Hancock’s August meeting agenda included payments for construction projects this summer, sewer improvements and the final payment to Payne and Dolan for work at the Business and Technology Park.