DAPHNE, Ala.—The Daphne City Council at its meeting Monday voted 6-1 in favor of scaling back its garbage and recycling pickup service from two days per week to one.

Councilman August Palumbo cast the lone dissenting vote.

“What has driven us to this situation is a lack of equipment,” Councilman Bailey Yelding said. He added that rising operating costs stemmed from an old fleet of trucks that require advanced maintenance.

Palumbo said more research into privatization of trash pickup should be conducted, citing how neighboring cities have hired outside contractors to perform the service.

“I think garbage pickup is a basic function of the city,” he said. “But it hasn’t been demonstrated to me that we’re going to save any money. The only thing we’re going to save is fuel costs.”

Palumbo said he feels the city should have absorbed the cost and maintained twice-weekly pickup.

Councilman Derek Boulware said this is one of many tough decisions the council will face in the coming months as it draws up next year’s budget.

“The basics are what we’re going to have to get down to,” he said.

In other business, the council:

“Our city ordinance specifically exempts the Civic Center,” Palumbo said.

Fellow council members cited the negative image that could be sent if the city exempted itself but required business owners to follow the ordinance.

“If we’re not going to allow others in the city … we shouldn’t do it either,” Barnette said.

The city currently uses plastic banners to announce events but Palumbo said this process is aesthetically unpleasing and causes clutter.

However, Mayor Fred Small said the city has had difficulty advertising its events using plastic banners. He cited an electronic sign’s effectiveness and reliability in sending messages clearly.

Small also commented on what he perceived as pleasing, aesthetic and informational value of W.J. Carroll Intermediate’s electronic sign at the front of its campus.

Council President John Lake said the proposed sign at the Civic Center would be exempted because, “it will be used for informational purposes,” as well as announcing events.

“The sign ordinance was put in to put the little guy on par with the big guys,” Lake said.

He added that it also serves to maintain aesthetic values.

Resident Devon Preston noted that technological advances have been made in electronic signage since the city passed its sign ordinance more than a decade ago.

Barnette suggested, and the council agreed, to send this issue to the Finance Committee for further review.

•Unanimously appropriated $17,379 for a police vehicle replacement; $10,000 for community contributions for Ecumenical Ministries; and $500 for community contributions for American Heart Association.

Wells will serve until April 15, 2010; Devault’s term expires April 15, 2012 and Ellis’ on April 15, 2014.