INC NEWS - Picking up leaves!

[RW Pickle]

We had a Solid Waste Committee that met for more than a year and a half
working on the issue of yard waste as a city-wide service. Just after the
budget sessions this year I tried to rescue the yard waste plan because it
went unfunded. Talking with Budget, Yard Waste, and others who could make
this happen, we came up with the "Pickle Plan" on how we could accomplish
this goal. In the first year it rolled back the price to the original fee
($30) and in the second year it was free. The biggest reality of this is
that the City Council will never support the amount of money needed to buy
the carts. As I recall, it was over a million dollars. As it is now,
everyone buys the carts. And even though that system, if continued, would
replenish the money spent for the program to begin, it would still be up
to the members of the public to buy a cart. That's painless when added to
your water bill over the course of the year ($7 every quarter), but some
say that would keep people out of the system. If a little over $2 a month
keeps someone from getting involved, then I'd have to say they didn't want
to do it in the first place.

Ken mentions that it is the more prosperous neighborhoods that get the
service because they can afford it. And I'd have to disagree. You can
thank those neighbors and neighborhoods for supporting the program so that
it is available at all. there was a time when the entire yard Waste
Program was destined to be terminated. The current fee system has allowed
it to continue. And by allowing it to continue, it has given us a chance
to figure out how to make it work for everyone. Had it been terminated
completely, we wouldn't  have the opportunity to be able to eve discuss
this option of having a city-wide service.

Barry mentions that he thought it was a vacume truck doing this. I have
called for the last 2 days trying to get to the Director but have had no
luck. I did reach him today, but he was in a meeting and was calling me
back. That never happened, But there was a budget item for a pilot program
where the vacume service was to be started. According to Solid Waste last
week, that wasn't funded either. So it seems strange that this type of
method was used. It makes me wonde if it wasn't a different department
doing this; like storm water or some division of public works. But Solid
Waste let all of us citizens down last year at budget. yard waste was our
#1 prioity and we thought they knew that. In fact, the committee came
together because City Council wanted a yard waste solution. We worked hard
to come up with one, including ways it could be funded and started. Like
Lorissa mentions, there are many people who joined the program at the $30
fee, but left at the $60 fee. So our thoughts that just rolling back the
fee structure would bring all those folks back into the system. they
already had carts, so that was a good deal since no money was needed to
increase the number of participants.

If I recall correctly, this past year was the first time since the Yard
Waste Program was saved that it was a break even deal. In business this
would mean it's time to grow. We tried to implement that thought but it
was never carried forth by Solid Waste into the budget process. They has
other priorities.

RWP
27 beverly



> Barry,
>
> It was my understanding that Solid Waste has changed our ordinances so
> that
> fines can be levied for folks who put out leaves in plastic bags or rake
> them into storm drains.  I also think that they are in the process of
> hiring
> an enforcement person to assess these fines.  When that enforcement person
> gets hired, I plan to become fast friends with him or her.
>
> Also, I would like to see a way for everyone to participate in the yard
> waste program.  What I see today is that neighborhoods with higher income
> folks stay leaf free while the leaves in other neighborhoods pile up.  Our
> city's budget number crunchers certainly have their work cut out for them.
>
> Ken Gasch
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <bragin at nc.rr.com>
> To: "RW Pickle" <randy at 27beverly.com>
> Cc: <council at ci.durham.nc.us>; <inc-list at durhaminc.org>;
> <patrick.baker at durhamnc.gov>; <donald.long at durhamnc.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 8:53 AM
> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Picking up leaves!
>
>
>> The rumor in our neighborhood is that a leaf vacuum truck, not an
>> ordinary curb sweeper, was seen cleaning the streets. Give some of the
>> piles of leaves that had accumulated, i believe it. Even after 6 or so
>> years of the current yard waste program, many of our residents have no
>> idea that leaves are supposed to be bagged in paper, and even then, you
>> need to be a subscriber to the yard waste program to have them picked
>> up.
>>
>> Or maybe they do know this, and that's why they get raked or blown into
>> the street anyway.
>>
>> Regardless, if the city has decided that keeping the streets clean of
>> leaves is something that needs to be done, i heartily approve.
>>
>> Next step? Either picking up all of the leaves that are curbside in
>> black plastic bags, or requiring the residents to dispose of them
>> themselves. Otherwise, they'll be out there through the winter and
>> spring.
>>
>> Barry Ragin
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>
>> Date: Thursday, December 7, 2006 3:37 am
>> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Picking up leaves!
>> To: Barry Ragin <bragin at nc.rr.com>
>> Cc: inc-list at durhaminc.org, donald.long at durhamnc.gov,
>> council at ci.durham.nc.us, patrick.baker at durhamnc.gov,
>> dukepark at yahoogroups.com
>>
>>> Somehow we didn't make that list. At least not yet. But then again, we
>>> rarely see a street sweeper.
>>>
>>> RWP
>>> 27 Beverly
>>>
>>>
>>> > I'm not sure who to thank for this, but i want to make sure folks
>>> at the
>>> > city level know how appreciative i am that the streets in the
>>> Duke Park
>>> > neighborhood have been vacuumed clean of leaves this season.
>>> >
>>> > I get tired of seeing so many people rake or blow their leaves
>>> into the
>>> > street, or bag their leaves improperly every year, with the
>>> result being
>>> > that our streets and storm drains are completely blocked and
>>> clogged.> Not only does this look bad, but it creates hazardous
>>> conditions.>
>>> > This year Duke Park looks great, and we don't have to worry about
>>> storm> water backing up and flooding our streets. I hope this is
>>> going on
>>> > throughout the city as well.
>>> >
>>> > Thanks to whoever is responsible for stepping up to the plate and
>>> taking> care of this.
>>> >
>>> > Barry Ragin
>>> > 1706 Shawnee St.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > INC-list mailing list
>>> > INC-list at rtpnet.org
>>> > http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list
>>> >
>>>
>>>
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>


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