I’ve already posted about this once, but our local paper has run another article and I wanted to add some excerpts and comments

Evans hired Houston-based Waste Management in 2004 to handle garbage and recycling. Residents in Evans pay $9 per month, which includes fees the city charges for its citywide spring and fall cleanup. The cost is wrapped into residents’ monthly utility bill. The city can shut off residents’ water service if they don’t pay any part of the bill, ensuring they don’t opt out of trash service by refusing to pay. Greeley is considering a similar enforcement strategy.

So the city of Evans hired a nationwide trash hauler, based in Houston, to take care of the local trash. They are sending local dollars to Texas, and Greeley city council wants to follow suit. I thought part of the city council’s job was to promote local economic growth…

Gordon Smith lives in central Greeley and said he’s tired of seeing trash cans in his neighborhood five days a week because everyone has a different hauler.

“I can’t imagine that not bothering people, having trash out on their street all week,” he said.

I can’t imagine Mr. Smith has nothing better to do with his time than notice when his neighbors have trash out at the curb. Maybe he should watch more TV or get a job. If a resident really has issues with this, why doesn’t he go to his neighbors and see if they can all arrange to use the same hauler. That would make more sense to me than the city trying to change the laws.

Fort Collins considered a district system in the 1990s. Susie Gordon, senior environmental planner for Fort Collins, said the city worked on the plan from 1996-98, but ultimately shelved it because it couldn’t guarantee privately owned haulers wouldn’t be forced out of business.

Am I the only one who sees this as a red flag. If the City of Fort Collins couldn’t come up with a plan after two years of wasted effort why does the City of Greeley think they can?

Even a Waste Management official is against the plan and admits they would underbid to get the contract.

Finally, if you would like to support some of the local businesses that collect trash these three companies were interviewed for the Tribune article.

Bunting Disposal Inc.
Gallegos Sanitation, Inc.
Northern Colorado Disposal, Inc