Presumably people who are interested in public policy should know how our local government works. But sadly George Carlin is right when he said it takes about 8 seconds to determine if someone is stupid. Today’s Hour:
According to Lauricella, the trash-hauling issue has spawned a group called Neighbors For Open Government. A petition is circulating asking the “Common Council to table the two City Carting items on their Tuesday, June 24, agenda and hold a second public hearing next week in order to continue the fact-finding process,” Lauricella said.
“Every chance to better understand the details is a good think,” said Lauricella, referring to the presentation Tuesday. “However, again less than one week’s notice is not enough, especially when these details (are explained) less than an hour before they are voted on by council.”
Since the issue of the expiring transfer station contract has been on the agenda of the public works committee for close to two years, and that these committee members have had weeks to pursue any question on the issue, it would seem somewhat disengenous for anyone to say that there hasn’t been enough time to discuss the issue. Especially when if you click through meeting minutes you can see who attended and when. Like this one in December of 2007.
11. Update on solid waste disposal efforts.
Mr. Alvord said that they received three proposals this week. The cost proposals will not be opened until they go through the technical proposals in late January or early February 2008.
12. Update on recycling efforts.
The contract runs through 2013. There is an opportunity to withdraw from the contract if notice is provided by June 30, 2008. Mr. Alvord said that he intends to enter into an arrangement with City Carting for cost savings. He said that the amendment is being drafted now.
13. Status of FEMA claims.
Mr. Alvord said that they received all of the money from FEMA that they are going to receive. There are three projects that need to be completed.
Ms. Lauricella suggested that there be an effort to include the Conservation Commission.
Yet that is exactly what is being said, by council people no less.
“Until those traffic reports and environmental reports are in, I don’t think it’s going anywhere. Maybe there will be some answers. I want to see what the traffic reports say,” said Councilman Douglas E. Hempstead, a Republican. “There’s a lot of good things in this proposal too — the operation of Crescent Street as a recycling center, and the proposal cuts $1.5 million in costs. (But) I don’t see it coming to a vote. I really don’t.”
And those reports were asked about when? Not in October of 2007.
10. Update on solid waste disposal efforts.
Mr. Alvord said that the RFP has been out since September 7th. There has been tremendous interest in it from companies all over the United States. A pre-proposal meeting was held on the 24th with a good turnout. Mr. Alvord said that there are mandatory site visits to the transfer station, which Malcolm Pirnie is scheduling.
11. Update on recycling efforts.
Mr. Alvord said that it was likely that the City would withdraw from SWEROC and execute a change to the current contract with City Carting whereby they will pay the City $15 a ton for every ton of recyclables that they collect.
And despite months of updates, and work on RFPs and acceptance of bids and so much process and paperwork they still need time to get comfortable voting?
Councilwoman Laurel E. Lindstrom, a Democrat, said she cannot see herself “being comfortable voting on this that soon after” the public hearing Wednesday and presentation by Alvord on Tuesday.
“My feeling is we’re going to have to table it again. It’s just too soon. You don’t ever want to vote (shortly) after a public hearing. You really want to think through what the options are,” Lindstrom said.
Except that there’s no new information that the Council will get from a public hearing except the usual NIMBYists conflating issues that have nothing to do with the actual proposal. Foremost amongst them is the fact that the Meadow St facility is already a transfer station that is permitted to process 500/tons a day. And that there are other transfer stations, privately held, in the same general area.
But let’s not get real facts get in the way of a fairly mundane issue. CRRA will charge more and do less. It’s the recourse should the Council not authorize the new proposal. And should the Council not authorize the new proposal, one has to ask what they were doing in the months leading up to this? Surely, wasting staff time by allowing the new plan to be crafted in the first place, springs to mind.
source: The Hour, Controversy builds over proposed trash contract, by Robert Koch, June 22, 2008
