Are we seeing the staff take a stand? I know that Manager Steve Feller and Public Works Director Tom Kelley were not thrilled with PAYT. I learned today that Cranberry was happy to switch to PAYT only because there were FIVE different companies picking up trash on the same streets. Evidently, the ESB (Environmental Sustainability Board) has not received all the facts in order to make a recommendation. I believe they now want to do a study before they support PAYT. I know there are many people waiting to see numbers. Just because it works in CA doesn't mean that it works here.new trash, recycling contract on deck
Mt. Lebanon’s trash and recycling contract expires at the end of the year. For the next few weeks, staff and commissioners will be evaluating several options for the next five-year contract.
This year, there were two bidders for the South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG) trash collection contract, Waste Management, the current contractor, and Republic Services. The companies were asked to bid on a number of options in addition to the service residents currently receive. Each of the 19 SHACOG communities will be able to choose from the menu of services before agreeing to a contract.
“There is a lot more to consider this year, and all of the options have a cost attached to them,” says public works director Tom Kelley, who has been working to shape the various proposals.
One option involves a move to automated recycling collection beginning in April 2015. Residents would be provided with recycling carts that would be picked up by trucks that are equipped with automated arms. This would require the purchase and distribution of trash carts throughout the community, and time to launch an education campaign.
Also under discussion is the possibility of on-call pickup of household hazardous waste, such as paint thinner and cleaning solvents, and of electronics, such as computers, printers and televisions. All of these items are prohibited from being lodged in landfills in Pennsylvania.
Presently, Mt. Lebanon schedules e-waste collection days, and residents can take household chemicals to one of several collections days scheduled by Allegheny County. If Mt. Lebanon adopts the new provision of the trash contract, residents will be able to contact the waste hauling contractor to arrange for special pickup of these items.
The commission has until the end of the year to make a decision on what will be contained in the new contract. If you would like to weigh in on trash and recycling options, contact the commission at commission@mtlebanon.org. You can also leave comments online at the Agendas and Minutes section of the municipal website, www.mtlebanon.org.
To view the bid document, click here
If you haven't contacted the commission about PAYT, contact them at commission@mtlebanon.org. Don't bother looking up ESB minutes or agendas, because there are none available. Incidentally, the Commission liaison for the ESB is...Kristen Linfante.
17 comments:
Let's start with the basics: why don't all of the parks and schools have recycling containers?
If the community could accomplish that, maybe we would be ready for the more complicated programs.
Also, how is it environmentally sustainable to schedule truck pick ups on a resident by resident basis?
By the way, you can drop off your batteries for recycling on Route 88 but they have started charging now!
Good Probing questions 9:10!
I think the answer is - ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies.
9:10 PM, you can recycle your batteries at the service desk in the Municipal Building. The terminals (ends) of the batteries have to be covered with tape. The school district wouldn't go for the $79 cost.
http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2012/03/battery-recycling.html
Elaine
Shhhh.....PAYT is not mentioned specifically in the Lebomag release because it is a stealth bait & switch project they don't want the public to know much about until it becomes a commission agenda item for approval, it seems. They're quietly asking select audiences (who don't publish meeting announcements, agenda's or minutes) for endorsement without providing any factual, supporting documentation that it actually makes programatic and economic sense to taxpaying homeowners.
Remember the bait & switch storm water fee sham of last year, where storm water pipe repairs and replacement, historically paid with tax dollars in the Muni budget, were reassigned to all of us as an added monthly fee we pay directly to Jordan (over $1,500,000/yr.) ? The Muni did not lower the millage rate, but also added street sweeping and leaf removal costs during their approval of the fee on the premise that they were storm water related as well. Well the PAYT scheme is similar. We taxpaying homeowners will end up paying a new refuse removal fee every month based on an alleged calculation of how much each household generates in refuse each week. The Muni would no longer pay for homeowners refuse removal with our tax dollars, but there is no promise they would lower the millage either.
All this under the pretext there would be some overall reduction in solid waste collection and disposal.
Contact your ward commissioner and see if they can answer any really obvious questions with documented facts other than "it seems to be working in some other communities". LOL
I was afraid that was the case. Why aren't there any minutes? I did find one agenda from Feb. 2013.
http://www.mtlebanon.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1695
Elaine
More free stuff from our Commissioners. Vote fer dem in November n'at. Pleassssse. Our Commissioners alls need new services paid fer wit Other Peoples Money. It only takes 3 votes to git it and 2 are from California.
Yinz guys think the Districk n@ will git a discahnt fer teachin kids bout garbage ?
Wait, We have street sweeping? When did that start and why have I never seen a street sweeping truck on my street?
found another
http://www.mtlebanon.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1696
Recycling Contract: Kristen reported that changes will be made to tighten up the recycling ordinance and bring it in line with changes made to Recycling Act 101. The commission wants to hear more about recycling options. Kristen will be the SHACOG representative for Mt. Lebanon and will be involved in shaping the next solid waste and recycling request for proposals. The Environmental Sustainability Board is in a good position to provide information on recycling. Bob proposed to have a subcommittee chaired by Andrew to investigate Pay-As- You-Throw and other recycling options. Kristen will report on the SHACOG meeting at the next Environmental Sustainability Board Meeting and Michelle Nestor will discuss the Pay-As-You- Throw option at the February 25, 2013 Commission Meeting. Unfortunately Michelle will be out-of-town and will not be able to attend the next ESAB Meeting.
Anybody know what rule changes are being tossed about?
if that is not enough
Lebo/PRC Grant Proposal: Within the next month the Department of Environmental Protection will be announcing grant awards for the 2012 902 Grant Program. Mt. Lebanon and the Pennsylvania Resources Council submitted an application for $111,000 to provide outreach and educational materials to promote recycling within Mt. Lebanon. Typically the 902 funding is used to purchase equipment for collecting and processing yard waste; however, funding is available for outreach and education.
$111,000 to promote recycling? Is this the best use of free money?
Hey 10.49 PM, the Muni also added street curbs to the costs covered by the storm water fee, claiming that curbs are for directing storm water to street catch basins and comprise 38% of the cost of street reconstruction. How nice. Next may likely be new roofing and gutter/downspouts for government buildings because rain touches those too.
Government is nothing but sleeze from the feds to local levels. Vote the bums out !
Actually 7:25AM, street curbs are designed just to do that; direct storm water. I don't know if you were being sarcastic or not.
7:07 AM, those meeting minutes are really something.
First off, Kristen jumped at being the SHACOG representative to push her deer killing agenda.
Second, who is paying for the lebogreen website?
Third, all the stormwater data collected- is any of it ever applied to the flooding that people experience year after year?
Fourth, Nestor's presentation can be heard here.
http://lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Podcasts/Entries/2013/2/25_Entry_1.html
It was one of the last meetings before the Municipal meeting archives included videos.
Elaine
Hey Damion Deringer, the original municipal so-called "justification" was for the replacement and addition of only storm sewer pipes. Then they came up with the flat $96 per year fee per residential unit assuming a 2,400 equivalent square foot house footprint. When that didn't create an open revolt, they added curbs, leaf removal and street sweeping costs from the general budget cause the fee would cover that also. Not by accident of course.
I'm not being sarcastic, just want to expose the duplicity of local government. By the way, the primary purpose for street curbs is not for storm water but for traffic control, safety and property protection. Are you trying to be sarcastic ?
I guess my years in civil engineering school and work with a Heavy Civil Contractor weren't worth it. Excuse me, you are correct. My experience has failed me.
Why is PAYT necessary for recycling?????
You dictate which items must go into a recycling can and if non-recyclables are in that can or recyclable items in the regular trash the truck doesn't pick it up until the trash is appropriately seperated.
Switch to clear trash bags if you must, but PAYT doesn't change anything.
Would "Phoenix" or "Houston" please contact me? I have been trying to reach you.
Elaine
EGillen476@aol.com
I wish someone, maybe someone from that knowledgeable earth-friendly, Green Team can explain this one to me.
We will need to seperate our trash into several different containers, which they say we'd throw less out if we go to a PAYT recycling plan. Correct? As I read the Green Team arguments for the plan, right.
Yet I can walk up to Home Depot, Loews, maybe Rolliers and buy a very large and very strong plastic sack that Waste Management says you can throw everything into - "including the kitchen sink" (up to 3,500 lbs.) and they'll come and pick up that one large sack, with heavens knows what people could throw in it!
What am I missing in this picture, except that Waste Management gets to charge you more money either way!
I'll also ask again, if I'm paying for my trash pick up out of my own pocket, why can't I choose the hauler and method of getting rid of my trash.
Its none of the municipalities damn business, as long as my hauler isn't dumping illegally.
Commercial businesses contract for their trash pick up with whatever haler suits them... PAYT, so why will the municipality get to dictate to homeowners which service they must PAYT?
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