INC NEWS - any cuts just has to hurt somewhere...

[RW Pickle]

I have no reason to retain paperwork or figures from the past. We (a group
of citizens representing the PAC's/INC and the administration from Solid
Waste at the time) were successful in our goal of figuring out how to roll
yard waste out across the entire City. Some of the citizens who were also
part of that group (as I recall) were David Harris, Harold Chestnut, Mike
and Cheryl Shiflett. A key representative from Solid Waste was Randy Smith
(who still heads up the Yard Waste Program as well as the transfer station
now) as well as the folks running the administration during that time. Any
of them can confirm this fact. What the actual numbers were is probably
something none of us will still have. But simple math says that figure was
more than a million dollars at that time. It was breaking even according
to the Solid Waste administration. And that was why we felt it was time to
increase service (as well as having City Council desire the same thing).
So we had a lot working on our side.

Move forward in time to today where this larger yard waste plan, to roll
the service out across the entire City, made it into the current budgetary
process (if passed, it'll roll out in October of this year). It's hard to
see how it makes any sense at this point since we are paying $39.50/ton
for disposal in VA. At that time, we had our own yard waste disposal site.
But I was assured recently by our Solid Waste Director that a new yard
waste facility permit will return here shortly (prior to the October roll
out). Time will tell... We need it for more reasons other than the  yard
waste. Urban Forestry has a lot of organics they are now having to pay for
disposal of, so it'll save all the taxpayers some money if we can keep it
here. It also offered compost and wood mulch for our City Parks and
buildings (and irregularly for the citizens when there was an
over-supply).

Additionally, a huge financial commitment will be necessary in cart
purchases alone. Originally (back when we were all sorting this out), that
figure was almost $2M and we felt for sure that Council would not support
spending that much on brown carts. Heck, it's been hard to even keep green
carts because of budgetary tightness. But the answer Solid Waste has come
up with to address that expense is to lease the carts. That'll bring down
the initial cost to below $1M. Leasing is always cheaper to get started
with but ends up costing more in the long run. But if that is what it
takes to roll out the program, that's what it takes.

As I understand it, the trucks are on order for the roll out. I really
never understood why we needed so many more trucks (and the manpower to
operate them). When we were looking at this originally, if we rescheduled
yard waste pickup to an every-other-week pick up, it required no extra
manpower or trucks. This was according to the man who ran the program.
There are currently 18 Yard Waste routes in the City and splitting it in
half (9 this week and 9 next week), it would all get done. It's not the
same level of service we are accustomed to (as subscribers who helped
build the service we currently have), but it was something we felt we
could live with. It may mean individuals who generate a great deal of yard
waste from week-to-week would need to get an extra cart or two. But that
was an easy fix since individuals could buy them. The only problem in the
bi-weekly pick up was in the fall when leaves are the big issue. But we
also looked at implementing a "leaf sucking program" like Chapel Hill has
to help with that heavy yard waste event.

In a recent conversation about our current solid waste usefulness, it was
thought that the same crews who pick up the green carts (and finish up by
1pm daily) could just turn back around and do the yard waste routes to
fill up the rest of their day. We operate 40 trucks a day and breaking up
the 18 routes into smaller routes could be done fairly quickly. But there
is a great deal of resistance (at least I felt that) from  the Solid Waste
administration to try something like that. Solid Waste still works on the
"task system" (remember that... get the job done in a hurry and go home
early but still get paid as if it took all day; we haven't heard much
about this since Stith left the Council but it's still in place). That
way, we wouldn't need any more trucks or manpower...

So why is recycling our yard waste important? Not because of mixing it
with trash became illegal (we're mixing it today as it goes to VA in the
same truck; at times, your trash and yard waste are even picked up in the
same truck which I think makes great sense!). NC mandated recycling
measures across the State. Glass, cans, newspapers are included in the %
figure municipalities are set to achieve. By recycling yard waste in
Durham, it adds to our total % we were able to declare. It increased our
recycling (and decreased our dependency on landfilling it).

We aren't charged for recycling the glass, cans, newspapers, etc in the
same manner as we have been with yard waste, but we are charged. It's one
of those hidden fees we pay with our taxes. So it appears free, but we are
actually paying for it. I may be wrong, but as I recall it's about
$2/household per month (regardless if you put recycling out to be picked
up or not). It's a contract we have with Tidewater Fiber (TFC). It'll be
the way yard waste appears if we roll it out across town to everyone;
it'll be absorbed into our tax base. So we'll still be paying for it one
way or the other...

As far as yard waste dumping, sure it happens. But much of the issues
associated with clogged storm drains, any debris in Ellerbe Creek, or any
other of the associated things that are commonly attributed to not having
a yard waste program for all, is a mistake. Much of the debris found in
the storm drains and in our creeks come from trees that line our streets
(and the leaves wash down the street into the storm drains) and the
forested buffers that line our creeks. Gravity causes all the debris to
fall and it get washed downhill. It's not dumping of yard waste that is
creating these problems. Street sweeping helps this to some degree, but it
all depends on the leaves falling and the rain (or maybe wind) washing
them downhill. Because downhill is where you find all storm drains and
creeks.

The trash you mention cleaning up in the creeks is a whole different
issue. That's litter (and not organic matter) and yes, it's a problem. But
it's not part of this particular problem of yard waste. Trash is a problem
everywhere. I have said for a number of years (and told the Director of
Solid Waste last week to his face) that we will continue to have a problem
in our community with trash until, as a City, we decide and make it known
that we want your trash. Our problem is we have never wanted all the
trash. We make it hard to even get rid of some of it. So until we become
"the City who wants all your trash", there will always be a litter and
illegal dumping problem.

RWP
27 Beverly