[Durham INC] Yard Waste Carts
Richard Ford
rbford at aim.com
Tue May 26 23:40:48 EDT 2015
Interesting issue but clearly a case of obsessing on minutiae. Durham County introduced it’s budget tonight. How many posts will be see about it??
Dick
> On May 26, 2015, at 11:13 PM, Reyn Bowman <reynbowman at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Steve - I for one think the charges are very reasonable and a great value and appreciate them moving to monthly. But strategically Natalie makes a great point.
>
> Reyn Bowman
> 2203 Shoreham St
> Durham NC 27707
> Www.bullcitymutterings.com <http://www.bullcitymutterings.com/>
>
> On May 26, 2015, at 9:06 PM, Myers Sugg <andrew.sugg at duke.edu <mailto:andrew.sugg at duke.edu>> wrote:
>
>> Steve:
>>
>> It sounds to me that based on a reply you sent, this is a $90 per year per participant program. Breaking out the carts as items for rent is nonsense. I can buy paper sacks for less than the additional $36.00 I would pay annually for carts 2&3. What is the process for not getting charged for additional carts already owned and in one's possession? This overall change and 25% increase does not appear to be very well thought out. I'd like to hear more from City officials.
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Myers Sugg
>>
>> On May 26, 2015, at 5:35 PM, "TheOcean1 at aol.com <mailto:TheOcean1 at aol.com>" <TheOcean1 at aol.com <mailto:TheOcean1 at aol.com>> wrote:
>>
>>> I hope Andrew or Natalie will forward this message to INC, as mine don't seem to post there. (INC meets tonight)
>>>
>>> Steve Schewel, I hope you read Natalie's message very carefully - because.....
>>>
>>> We know from a horrible experience many years ago, that if you make solid waste (trash) cost anything, or make it a hassle - illegal dumping increases radically!
>>>
>>> I have believed for years that we have a nearly invisible yard waste dumping problem, Natalie is extra observant since it blends into the landscape far better than bags of garbage.
>>> There IS a large cost associated with blowing leaves into the street, and dumping large quantities over embankments. What does it cost to unblock a storm drain?
>>>
>>> No one really knows. What costs are associated with the resulting street flooding?
>>> Ditto, no one knows. (the list continues)
>>>
>>> I wish I had a suggestion as to what to do about it, but beyond handling it just like garbage as far as how we pay for it, but beyond that, I'm out of ideas.
>>>
>>> At least we can a little money from running a huge mulch pit, and selling the soil back to the citizens.
>>>
>>> Bill
>>>
>>> Bill Anderson
>>>
>>> In a message dated 5/26/2015 4:54:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, natalie.spring at gmail.com <mailto:natalie.spring at gmail.com> writes:
>>> I'm curious how many yard waste subscribers there are in Durham. My thinking is this - almost everyone has some sort of yard waste in Durham but only subscribers are getting rid of it according to the solid waste rules. How much would it actually cost to make this program universal for Durham? What amount of tax increase would we as citizens see if the program was made universal. Is it $1 ? Is it $5 a year? Is it $10 a year? Everyone pays for recycling and trash through taxes and yard waste should not be different. If you remember, there was a time when recycling was optional in Durham...
>>>
>>> I ask because people in this city have leaves- lots of them. During the fall I see them blown into the street. I see them dumped into vacant lots. I see them bagged and thrown into the trash. I see some people compost them. This is just in my neighborhood/not scientific or exhaustive, but it I think it's shortsighted to say that it's a service that only a few in Durham benefit from or use. My sense is that if it were made universal we might see less trash in vacant lots, less flooding of creeks, and fewer streets covered in leaves during the fall/winter months.
>>>
>>> Natalie
>>> 801 Cleveland St
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 26, 2015 at 4:26 PM, Marge Nordstrom <nordstrom.marge at gmail.com <mailto:nordstrom.marge at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> That's certainly not the way the letter reads. Plus the increase from the charge of $60/year to $90/year is outlandish.
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 26, 2015 at 3:19 PM, Don Moffitt <don.moffitt at gmail.com <mailto:don.moffitt at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> The letter is not well written; subscribers to yard service can cancel their service at the end of the fiscal year (June 30). It's an annual service, from July 1 to June 30--once subscribed you're in for the year unless you move.
>>>
>>> I feel your pain and did not have an opportunity to discuss or vote on this change.
>>>
>>> Don
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 26, 2015 at 2:53 PM, Myers Sugg <andrew.sugg at duke.edu <mailto:andrew.sugg at duke.edu>> wrote:
>>> John/John:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So if I decide to pay a yard service to take care of my yard, and remove all yard waste from my site, I can’t unsubscribe to the program? I missed that in my quick read. I think this may boil down to a reduction in funding for solid waste, or a program that costs more. The explanation though leaves big holes in it. If the cost is really $90 per year to run the program, then that is what they need to say, and explain why. If $90 is more than I can or want to pay, then I should be able to leave the program should I want to. Again, I’m appreciative the City offers this program, but unlike water and sewer requirements for healthy and safety reasons, I can’t see yard waste removal rising to that level of importance. I personally would be ok with less frequent collection if it would save any money.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I would also expect rental fees to be accounted for separately internally. Co-mingling of the service fee and rental fee should not be allowed.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Myers
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Myers Sugg
>>>
>>> Financial Analyst
>>>
>>> Fuqua School of Business
>>>
>>> Duke University
>>>
>>> Box 90120
>>>
>>> Durham NC 27708
>>>
>>> 919-660-8018 <tel:919-660-8018>
>>> 919-660-7960 <tel:919-660-7960>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: John Martin [mailto:bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com <mailto:bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com>]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 2:16 PM
>>> To: Myers Sugg; 'inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net <mailto:inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net>'
>>> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Yard Waste Carts
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Myers,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There was a fair amount of chatter about this on the Old North Durham list serve on Saturday since a number of us got the letter then. You will also notice that you are no longer allowed to discontinue your participation in the program.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Councilman Eugene Brown said that he is looking into this with the City Manager. We'll see what they say. I doubt that any of this is legal.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: "Jackson jacksonsmom at nc.rr.com <mailto:jacksonsmom at nc.rr.com> [oldnorthdurham]" <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>>
>>> Date: May 23, 2015 at 6:17:43 PM EDT
>>> To: "oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>" <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>>
>>> Subject: Re: [oldnorthdurham] Yard Waste Letter
>>> Reply-To: oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you so much. I am still sitting here trying to understand the logic behind this. How is it we have bought the thing many times over and now we have to RENT it??
>>>
>>> I don't get it.
>>>
>>> Robin on West Seeman.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>
>>> On May 23, 2015, at 6:10 PM, "Eugene Brown teton at earthlink.net <mailto:teton at earthlink.net> [oldnorthdurham]" <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I am looking into this with the City Manager. Eugene Brown
>>>
>>> On May 23, 2015, at 2:05 PM, John Martin bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com <mailto:bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com> [oldnorthdurham] <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Nancy,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I got the same letter this morning. In addition to charging me rent on something I already own, the City also announces that the Yard Waste Program is like the roach motel: you can't check out: "Please note that cancellation of yard waste service is only allowed for customers who are moving and no longer need the service and customers closing their utility water account." So now I have to continue to have yard waste service whether I want it or not, and whether I use it or not.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I bought my yard waste container back in 1998, but I hadn't used the service for several years. Last summer, since I anticipated more yard waste than normal, I signed up again. Little did I know that I had signed up in perpetuity.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> This is a small matter, but it is mind-boggling that the City of Durham government can even devise a scheme like this.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: "Nancy Holliman nkholliman at gmail.com <mailto:nkholliman at gmail.com> [oldnorthdurham]" <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>>
>>> To: OND NA <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com <mailto:oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>>
>>> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 1:39 PM
>>> Subject: [oldnorthdurham] Yard Waste Letter
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi neighbors,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I'm assuming any of you who are solid waste customers of the City have or will receive the letter we just got. In it it informs us that "Effective July 1, all carts now have a monthly rental fee regardless of past purchase history." So that means that we get to now pay a rental fee for carts that we previously purchased from the City. Excuse my acronym, but wtf?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I see on their FAQ that they are expecting carts to need to be replaced, as 2008 was the last time carts were available for purchase. Well I believe that our cart has a few years left in it, and it burns me up to rent what we own.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Does anyone know if this change is something approved by the city manager? City council? Who decides this?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for any info you may have.
>>>
>>> Nancy Holliman
>>>
>>> W. Lynch St.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Myers Sugg <andrew.sugg at duke.edu <mailto:andrew.sugg at duke.edu>>
>>> To: "'inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net <mailto:inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net>'" <inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net <mailto:inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net>>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 2:03 PM
>>> Subject: [Durham INC] Yard Waste Carts
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear Neighbors:
>>>
>>> You may have received the letter today from Donald Long, Solid Waste Director regarding changes in the City’s Yard Waste program. One thing in particular caught my attention. Longtime residents may have, like me, purchased brown yard waste carts back when the City started the brown cart, weekly pickup program, ten plus years ago. The City is now converting everyone to the rental program, and charging an additional $1.50 per month, per cart even for those who purchased their cart outright. I personally don't think this is fair. As I understand it, new customers are required to rent their carts, but for those who started early, you paid, and now you will be required to pay rent for the same plastic bin. IF rental is the only option, then I think a refund should be in order for those who previously paid. If I remember correctly, carts were around $50-$60 each, but I'm not certain. If anyone can remember what the purchase rate was previously, please let me know.
>>>
>>> I am of the opinion that composting is best, but for those who have small yards, and large limbs/sticks, it is not always easy to find a place for them. I appreciate the robust yard waste program the City has. When it started, collection was every other week, and the fee was rolled into your property tax rate. The City pulled it out the tax rate and began the fee for service sticker/subscriber program. Initially it was $50, then $60, and now it will basically be $90 per year. That's a significant amount in my opinion. I own 3 carts, and as such, I would pay an additional $54.00 per year to rent something I already purchased. Does anyone else see the problem here?
>>>
>>> Comments would be appreciated. Hopefully someone at the City will also see this and offer some insight.
>>>
>>> Myers Sugg
>>>
>>> James St
>>>
>>> TLNA
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> "This was a lucky recollection-- it saved her from something like regret"
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> _______________________________________________
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>> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list <http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list>
> _______________________________________________
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