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Today's poll: Should the City of Batavia get out of the trash business?

By Howard B. Owens
Jim Rosenbeck

Now that the City of Batavia has voted to leave the trash collection business (to the cheers of a full council chamber) I find it ironic that many of those cheering for free choice would now gladly forfeit their free choice in exchange for a government mandate of ARC as the exclusive service provider. Given the choice, I am willing to pay more to CHOOSE ARC as my trash service provider. But, I would no more mandate ARC For my neighbors than I would mandate any other trash service provider. The city made the proper decision to get out of the trash business. We wouldn't have Mr. Molino purchase our groceries for us or allow him to mandate the grocery store where we shop. Yet some of us seem willing to give the city authority to mandate who removes the waste from our groceries...as long as we approve of the vendor. I suggest that City Council would best serve the people of the city by facilitating a short term continuation of our current trash collection service. Arriving at some agreement to continue the current service for a period of 3-4 Months would provide all of us an opportunity to explore options and contract for services in the private sector. If council meets tonight and does nothing to facilitate an orderly transition to privatization, they will have failed to serve the people. Lets hope for a succesful transition to free choice. We will find out
tonight.

Feb 27, 2013, 8:34am Permalink
Beth Kinsley

I think the ARC should go to a pay-per-bag system so everyone who chooses to stay with the ARC pays for the amount of garbage they actually throw out and anyone who chooses to go with a different company is free to do so. I think most will choose to stay with the ARC.

Feb 27, 2013, 9:47am Permalink
John Roach

Odd how the idea of you making your own decisions and picking the service you want, without being told what to do, scares so many.

Feb 27, 2013, 10:00am Permalink
Mark Potwora

who answers these polls..yesterday's poll 77% wanted to be able have a choice..this poll today people are saying keep things the way they are and keep ARC...We are past that option.the city is getting out of the trash business..

Feb 27, 2013, 10:34am Permalink
Jack Dorf

I have waste management for my trash pickup in the Town of Batavia and the cost is approx. $300 per year. They provided their waste and recycle container. I have checked with other companies and their pricing is very comparable. I wonder how this price compares with what city residents have been paying.

Feb 27, 2013, 11:07am Permalink
John Roach

Jack,
ARC cost is hard to know since it is in the property taxes. In addition, some pay, but do not use them and some don't pay, but do use them. There was an estimate that if the current ARC cost was out of the taxes, it would be around $223.

Feb 27, 2013, 11:34am Permalink
tom hunt

As a retired home owner in the City of Batavia, I have been following this situation since its inception. I can see both sides of the argument and hail the decision for the City to get out of the trash pick up business.
My only reservation is based upon the cost numbers for yearly residential pickup, I will be paying roughly X3 to X4 what I would be paying under the defeated proposal. Yes, there is economy of scale involved.
I support the above commenter on the pay as you throw per bag idea.

Feb 27, 2013, 11:36am Permalink
tim raines

I pay $132 a year, and less if I want to switch to a different hauler. No contracts, no charge for totes, and I throw out as much damn trash as I want.

$300, $223.

You are being overcharged big time.

Feb 27, 2013, 12:36pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Tp then do as I am gonna do and show up tonight to give input on this.... if the city really wants to serve its citizens, a per bag system would be the most cost effective to put in the code. To force totes on all would be increasing possible costs. And as people pointed out the last 28 yrs worked just fine, the only complaints ever given voice were code enforcement issues not garbage collection. Maybe the city should look into enforcing its garbage and snow removal ordinance rather than electing to find them distastefu to enforce.

Feb 27, 2013, 12:29pm Permalink
John Roach

Kyle,
I don't think anyone is going to force 'totes' on anyone. At the most, they might say the bags have to be in some sort of hard container. There are more and more places doing that only becasue of rodent control. The container could be a traditioanl size metal or plastic can. And that might not even be brought up.

By the way, tonight is a work seesion. You can talk with your rep. before or after the meeting, but there is no public speaking tonight. You can stay and listen to the discussions, but that is it tonight.

Feb 27, 2013, 12:39pm Permalink
Charlie Mallow

Where I live all the company's are just over $300 a year. There is no charge for the tote and you can pretty much throw out anything you want.

Feb 27, 2013, 5:18pm Permalink
Charlie Mallow

I use Lilac and they have great service. You know how much I like to do home improvement type stuff and I've tossed out far more than my fair share. I never had a complaint or had to buy a sticker or anything stupid like that. My neighbor has Waste Managment and the service is also good and just $2 more a month.

There isn't a set day of the week for all the companies either. My block must be serviced by at least four companies so usually there are a few different totes out each morning. It really isn't a problem and in fact it looks a lot better not having a street full of trash one day a week. Everyone also has a tote, they are a nice alternative. Easy to roll out and the wind or critters don't make a mess of your trash.

Feb 27, 2013, 6:36pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

Like I said before, I have several relatives using private contractors and totes, the prices they told me were about the same as Charlie, some a few bucks more some a few bucks less. All of them are on Tote systems and all of them tell me they never have a problem with what they throw out or had to pay for their totes, in fact the only reason why the proposal called for paying for the totes was because the city was contracting them and they would have born the City seal and had RFID chips.

I have decided, I lived in Attica with the per bag system and hated it, Tote and my choice of vendor, I love it.

Feb 27, 2013, 7:50pm Permalink

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