[Durham INC] Yard Waste Carts

Tue May 26 15:19:45 EDT 2015

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> 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
>
> 919-660-7960
>
>
>
> *From:* John Martin [mailto:bulldurhamnc at yahoo.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 26, 2015 2:16 PM
> *To:* Myers Sugg; '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 [oldnorthdurham]" <
> oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>
> *Date:* May 23, 2015 at 6:17:43 PM EDT
> *To:* "oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com" <oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>
> *Subject:* *Re: [oldnorthdurham] Yard Waste Letter*
> *Reply-To:* 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 [oldnorthdurham]"
> <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 [oldnorthdurham]
> <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 [oldnorthdurham]" <
> oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>
> *To:* OND NA <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>
> *To:* "'inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net'" <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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