Sylvania Township junk townshipwide refuse service
7/27/2005Sylvania Township trustees have junked the idea of developing a township-wide refuse hauling service.
The trustees praised the administration's work in putting together a program to reduce residents' costs and the amount of heavy waste-hauling trucks traveling township streets each week but voted to end the effort.
"It's a good idea with good aspects,'' Dennis Boyle, chairman of the trustees, said, "but it just isn't the right plan.''
Mr. Boyle said the potential of having to take money from the general fund to subsidize a guaranteed amount of income for a prospective hauler was a financial burden the township couldn't handle.
The stumbling block was that the bid for the job from BFI of Ohio was based on participation of 8,700 households, which is approximately every household in the township.
In order for the contract to be put in operation the total income, based on the bid of $10.10 per month would have to be guaranteed. Because the proposal had a clause allowing residents to opt-out of the township-wide agreement, the general fund would likely have to pick up an undetermined amount of money each month.
Trustee Carol Contrada said she also couldn't support a plan which allowed for an open-ended cost to the township.
Brad Peebles, township administrator, had said that as the township grows the user fees would likely eventually end the need for the government to cover the gap between private payments and the amount guaranteed.
Some residents who spoke at the public hearing questioned whether government had a reasonable role in arranging for township-wide pick-up.
Trustees and Mr. Peebles said the impetus for the plan was complaints from residents when several companies increased fees and restricted the collection of grass clippings and other waste.
Responses to a questionnaire which were returned to the township showed that 2,028 residents were interested in a single-hauler for refuse while 227 said they had no interest.
The benefits would be a reduced fee for most customers, fewer heavy trucks on township roads and less litter.
Some of those at the meeting also said they felt loyalty toward long-time service from another company and said other private companies would be hurt if Sylvania Township entered into the proposed agreement.
There were also complaints that the large containers proposed for use would be a problem for some senior citizens and Mr. Boyle added that any agreement which he could approve would include a discount for older citizens and the proposal didn't.