Greenbox discussion continues
Well, I have some good news and some bad news for you.
First the good news:
Our Bigfork and Lakeside citizens have been able to slow down the solid waste board’s inane plan to force everyone in our communities to contract for roadside trash pickup or haul trash to Somers.
If not for our repeated objections over the last 12 months, Bigfork would already be doing without their green box site and the residents of Lakeside would be having to shop for roadside trash service within a year.
Now the bad news: Although the solid waste board’s plan has been delayed, it has not been stopped. They are trying to get past our objections by hiring CMH2Hill to do a “study” of the green box consolidation issue. They are doing their level best to limit the scope of the study to focuses only on their systemic trash handling concerns and ignore our community’s cost and logistics impact questions. And since the board hired the company and they control the funding, they are in a strong position to direct the study to serve their objectives.
We have repeatedly asked the board to include in the study the requirement that it answer these four fundamental questions. They have so far not agreed to do so.
1) What would be the average cost for residents in the areas of Lakeside and Bigfork vs. those in the more spread out areas currently being served by our green boxes?
2) What percent of residents would not be eligible for roadside pick up because their location does not meet the hauling contractor’s concerns for accessibility or safety?
3) What kind of impact will road side trash cans have on our local bear and coyote population? And by the way, how will the elderly haul those bear proof containers full of trash to the end of their 200’ driveway?
4) How will snow plow services be impacted by the placement of hundreds of trash containers along the narrow back roads we have? These are fundamental and foundational questions that go straight to the issue of what kind of impact this proposed closure would have on the citizens in our communities. And they are NOT being addressed by the board!
The next act in this tragic-comedy occurs this week, and it is likely to be an entertaining one. There will be a critical hearing May 29 at 10 a.m. at the Foys Lake Community Center. This is a CRITICALLY IMPORTANT meeting and we need you there!
The commissioners have the final say on this closure issue, and unlike the board, they are elected so in theory they are supposed to answer to you. I anticipate that county commissioner Gary Krueger will be at this hearing. Gary told me over the phone last week that if Lakeside and Bigfork wanted to pay the extra cost of maintaining an expanded and manned green box site, he would be in favor of that plan. He did not favor an unmanned site. He would not commit to taking any position on how the scope of the CMH2Hill study would be structured. He said he would wait until after the May 29 hearing. My paperwork says he is a member of the board, so I am a bit leery.
In addition to coming to the meeting and letting the commissioners know how you feel, you can also help by signing the on-line petition. Thank you for your investment of time to read this. Please sign the petition and put the meeting on your “Must Do” calendar.
Dan Benesch, Lakeside