(A) No person, firm, or corporation shall engage in the business of collecting refuse or be permitted to haul, convey, or transport any refuse over and upon the streets or roads of the county without having first obtained an annual refuse hauling license from the Inspector.
(B) No applicant shall be granted a license until it has been verified by the Inspector that the applicant has the proper and necessary equipment as defined in this section.
(C) All applications for an annual refuse hauling license shall be made on forms provided by the Inspector and shall be returned to the Inspector when completed.
(D) Within 30 days after the filing of each application, the Inspector shall either deny or issue the requested license.
(1) In making a decision, the Inspector shall consider the following factors, as well as other factors deemed appropriate:
(a) The areas the applicant intends to serve;
(b) Whether the service is needed;
(c) Whether the equipment to be used by the applicant meets the requirements of this subchapter; and
(d) The past history of the applicant.
(2) No granting of a license shall be construed as a monopoly, exclusive privilege, immunity, or franchise.
(E) In the event that an application for license is denied, another application for license by the same applicant may not be filed within a period of one year from the date of the denial unless upon approval of the Chairperson of the County Board, following a showing of a change of circumstance which would warrant a reconsideration. No annual refuse hauling license shall be issued to any person who, or any firm or corporation which, or any officer of which, has been convicted of any violation of this subchapter within three years preceding the date of application for the license.
(F) Before a refuse hauling license shall be issued, each applicant shall file with the county a financial assurance bond in the penal sum of $1,000. This bond shall be held to ensure that at all times, the applicant will observe and comply with the ordinances and regulations of the county relative to the license issued hereunder, and that the licensee will pay any and all fines, penalties, and costs incurred associated with any violation of this subchapter, and that he or she will provide to his or her customers with the service which they have paid for.
(G) If during the period covered by the license granted, the licensee shall permit his or her equipment to fall into disrepair or other state that does meet the standards of this subchapter, or the licensee fails to obey any provisions of this subchapter, the license may be revoked in the manner provided in and by this subchapter.
(H) The applicant for license must designate, in his or her application, the location(s) where he or she intends to dispose of the refuse collected by the licensee. Any change in disposal location shall be immediately reported to the Inspector and then noted on the license application.
(I) The licensee shall keep accurate records so that he or she can provide to the Inspector, from time to time, as requested by the Inspector, information pertaining to quantity of refuse collected, disposed, recycled, and the like.
(J) The licensee shall at all times keep an accurate list of the names and addresses of his or her customers, and shall upon request deliver a copy of the list to the Inspector.
(K) Each licensee, so far as it is feasible, shall serve customers in compact areas in order to prevent more refuse vehicles than is necessary from traveling the same streets and areas for collection.
(L) The rates for hauling refuse should be fair and reasonable. Each applicant must disclose his or her current schedule of fees to the Inspector at the time of application. Any adjustment in the fee schedule must immediately be reported to the Inspector.
(M) Each licensee must offer the following minimum service level to residential customers:
(1) Once a week refuse removal (a less frequent option may be offered in extreme cases in which the dwelling is not continually occupied and the hauler is willing).
(2) Once a week landscape waste removal (at least April through November).
(N) All licensees and licensed vehicles used in the collection and/or hauling of refuse shall conform to the following requirements:
(1) Vehicles shall be kept in a neat, clean, and sanitary condition;
(2) Vehicles shall be thoroughly cleaned as frequently as needed so as not to give off offensive or obnoxious odors when empty, parked, or stored;
(3) Vehicle beds shall be in good operating condition and shall be metal, watertight, and covered to prevent refuse from blowing, falling, or spilling from the vehicle;
(4) Vehicles shall not be overloaded;
(5) Vehicles shall be kept neatly painted at all times and permanently marked on both sides, either on the door of the cab or in the center of the side of the bed, in letters no smaller than three inches in height, with the name, address, and phone number of the hauler or hauling business. These letters must be of a color that makes them easily legible; and
(6) Vehicles shall be inspected for all of the above requirements by the Inspector prior to the issuing of an annual refuse hauling license.
(O) (1) At the time of issuance of an annual refuse hauling license, the Inspector shall provide a decal, approximately three inches by three inches. The face of the decal shall bear the following:
(a) The words: “licensed refuse hauler”;
(b) The year for which the license is issued;
(c) The words: “Macon County, Illinois”; and
(d) An individual identification number.
(2) The decal shall be affixed to the lower left side of the appropriate vehicles’ windshield for the duration of the license. The color of the decal shall be changed each year. No decal nor license shall be transferable from owner to owner or vehicle to vehicle.
(P) The licensing fee shall be $50 for each vehicle to be used. All licenses shall expire on June 30 of each year. Revenue from licensing fees shall be placed into the Solid Waste Management Fund to help defray the cost of the solid waste inspection/enforcement program.
(Q) Residential refuse collection shall not commence before 6:00 a.m. each day.
(Ord. O-60-6-06, passed 6-8-2006) Penalty, see § 50.99