Glass City Jungle

Councilmen D. Michael Collins and Mike Craig are here, Steve Steel arrived shortly after things started, no one else is here from Council. The earlier meeting today had over 180 people attend, tonight’s meeting has about 50 people present. Councilman Collins is going through the history of the trash fee, which those of you who are regular readers of the blog are aware of.

We also have a trash can here so that residents can see the actual size of the can.

Collins stated that he is in not support of the Mayor’s plan to raise the trash fee to $16.00 per month and he will do all that he can to stop this, that $16.00 a month is more than what it currently costs per household for the City to pick up trash. The last time the fee change for trash was discussed, Council was split. Collins feels there are other areas that money could be collected, such as outstanding income tax. More as the meeting continues…

Collins said 86% of the communities our size or greater are automated, the number of people we use to pick up trash, three is not acceptable and we can not maintain trash collection as a core service without raising the cost if we continue and don’t switch to an automated system.

He said the next concern is the snow, he shared a joke about a person being concerned about 6 foot of snow. Adam Martinez came in during this part. Collins said Buffalo and Syracuse have an automated system and they get more snow than we do, that the system will work. The next issue was what do you do for citizens who are not physically able to take the cans to the curb. Collins has met with the Ability Center, they compared what Madison, Wisconsin is doing in relation to that. They have a similar number of households and they have less than 90 people who need assistance.

The bulk pick up will continue and it will be explained later as to how that is going to continue. Julian Highsmith will be presenting information and a power point presentation. Then there will be questions.

Now it is time for the Power Point Presentation by Highsmith….

He shared that Cleveland is also in the process of going to automation and the automated system has been in existence for 30 years, now is the best time for them to do this, since new trucks needed to be purchased and this is one way to keep costs down for the general fund that can be used for other expenses.

The first part of the power point focused on the pilot area, the recycling rate when up to over 90%. The automated arm process was explained, that would also eliminate injuries and creates cleaner and neater neighborhood, since some put trash out in a variety of manners, since the trash would be in containers. “It beats seeing bags.”

This new automated system also allows for single stream recycling, which means all recycling material can be put in the one can for recycling. Every resident will receive a gray can for trash and a blue can for recycling. Cameras will be on the top of the hopper and it will be known if you throw trash in your recycling. You do not have to fill up the recycling container. If you have bulk items you will need to call the City 24 business hours in advance of your trash pick up day to arrange for a pick up.

Carts will start coming November 30,2009 – expected start date December 7, 2009 – entire City should have carts and be automated by the beginning of March 2010. They are going to try to coordinate the new carts with the trash dates, so that you can start using it. Wherever the cart is delivered is where they would like the cart to be placed each week for collection.

The 40 new trucks begin coming in November and will all be here by February. The routes may be optimized but the color coding system is not going to change, a small percentage will have their recycling week change, those impacted will be notified and that is not expected to happen immediately. Changes are being made to make the system as efficient as possible.

Information will be available on the city website. The City is compiling a list of streets that may have issues, such as too many parked cars or other traffic issues, those areas could be semi-automated where the arm would not be used but the rear lift would be used. Some will move from curbside to alley, some the reverse. The City will be notifying residents once the list is complete and the trucks have been physically driven down the street as a final step/test.

During the pilot period, some held the trash back for a week when there was snow, they have also expressed concern to Streets and Harbor that plows not bury in driveways, with leave collection and snow the trucks have the ability to extend up to 12 feet to reach over a snow bank. It can also be raised up, so there is mobility with the containers and the truck.

They tested out four different types of trash carts and went with the company the pilot program liked and was the most durable. The three different sizes of trash cans was also discussed, for those who have a disability they are working on a program (as was stated earlier) a medical slip may be required as well as verification that the person has no one else in the home that could take the trash can out to the street. Questions.

About the recycling – wanted stickers on the cans they already have so that tenants will follow what can be recycled.

Who’s responsible for loss or damages to the cart? You will be asked to make a police report and they will be replaced, if they are damaged they will be replaced.

The next question was related to tight streets, concern expressed where they would be placed on one particular street, Highsmith repeated what was stated as far as the City compiling the list.

New carts lined up look nice, this is a big expense, how long will the City allow people to leave trash carts out after the trash collection day? What is the city going to do to make sure the carts are not left out? There will be a grace period and then if people do not put the container back they will be fined.

Question on extra refuse collection is this limited or will it be every week. Yes, they are not getting rid of unlimited pick up and if you have extra trash they will pick it up. They are looking at the possibility of offering an additional cart but that will not happen until the system is city wide and they are looking at a fee/charge for the second cart.

If you request a large container and you decide it’s too big or too small they will let you do it once – this will be done after the system is in place completely (in March).

Questions on leaf and grass clippings as well as the extended pick up – the question was asked if the truck would drive by and pass by extra trash if someone didn’t call in. It was stated, yes, if you don’t call in your extra trash is not picked up. It was stated that this worked well during the pilot program and there were a large number of people who called for the extra pick up. There is some confusion expected at the beginning.

Concern expressed about those who are handicapped, Collins assured the questioner that this was being addressed and the City would follow the required Federal laws.

What did you learn from Madison on four family units, that would have 8 carts out in front, or did they combine? Each unit will receive one cart, the landlords have contacted them and they did have less carts, and that is how they did that after being contacted by the property manager for less cans or smaller sizes.

Question about cardboard? That’s considered paper. Question on how people will be notified, it will be something personal at your home or via mail directly to your home.

Question about recycling – everyone will be automatically signed up for recycling because the recycling can has a scanner, you have to put the recycling can out at least once a month you will get the recycling credit. If you do not you will be charged the higher fee.

What if you are going to be out of town when the carts are delivered? If you call them and let them know, they will hold the carts and then deliver them. If the carts are left out for more than a day after they are delivered they will be picked up.

Then a question as to the lifespan of the carts – it was stated ten years and the carts will be replaced when necessary.

Question on the warranty on the carts they have a ten year warranty, this was a concern in some areas where the wheels were an issue. The question as to expectation of man hours for carts, that was not expected to be a concern, and there would be staff specifically for the carts. Collins said if they run into a problem with the carts they would bill back if there was too much.

Gentleman stated – Some people are sounding like Toledoans – stupid – he asked why the County can pick up number 2 recycling items where the City won’t – that Kroger has it – he has no option to choose if he wants to pay for trash collection or recycling or not. He can’t opt out. The gentleman then went on to talk about how he has high blood pressure and it’s because he eats out of cans and boxes that he should be able to opt out. Collins said he could talk to him later about that, the gentleman said he’d talk to Fred LeFebrve tomorrow, that when they took over the city it would be run better. Collins wished him luck in that endeavor and said last he knew Mr. LeFebrve was not running the City of Toledo.

Then a question concerning townhouses that have one water bill, they were assured they will each get a can.

Ending the Leap Forward program was asked. It is not going to stop, it has been done in other cities like Columbus and it saves over $350,000 a year.

Man wanted to know why he had to use bags for the trash can. It was to keep the trash clean and to stop any items from blowing. For recycling they are asked to bag paper products.

75.00 first fine if you keep putting trash in recycling, it then goes up to 100.00 – Gentleman asked if someone dumps items in his trash that he didn’t put in there. Collins said we are the City of Toledo, that people that do that compromise all of us, they are throwing a problem into the system and there are no tolerance.

What about raccoons? Collins said a man told him that never before have they have cans that raccoons and possums can not get into. Man stated if the City stopped this program he’d make sure he’d never be re-elected. That these cans stop the varmits…

The owner of the building is cited not the landlord. Gentleman took issue with that and said that the City should be the one to go after the Tenants. Collins suggested that landlords charge a small deposit and if there are no fees through the year it be reimbursed.

Question as to cans that are stolen having to be reported to the Police, that it can take hours.

Yardwaste, it was asked if they would point out that there are services for free yard waste disposal. There is a site on Bancroft that takes yard waste for free.