Trash removal opinions?

[BHA]

In answer to your first question: No. It is Casella. The board, when asked, said they had not heard anything from Myers after the info meetings and no other haulers were bidding.

There was a question at Town Meeting about the liability of not conforming with the Act 148 rules. It will be in the contract that Casella will be liable (and they agree with that) but when pressed, yes if Casella fails and there are fines they are not able to pay, the town is liable. But it does sound like Casella would be 100% responsible for all parts of Act 148 including the SWIT, education, etc. Whether we vote Yes or No, the town Select Board will be out of the trash business with respect to adhering to Act 148.

The second question: Yes. If the town votes No, there will be no town wide single contract curbside pickup and we will join the solid waste district. People can choose to always take their stuff to any transfer station in the district (not all take all items, the Georgia location takes everything the district accepts) or contract for curbside with any hauler or do a combination. I suspect the latter will be the case for a number of people since the waste district takes things the haulers will not. The cost to join and stay with the waste district are not even a decimal point in the town budget.

One thing that was news to me: Fairfax business properties pay the 9 cent trash tax but have to contract for their disposal needs. In other words, they are paying (subsidizing others) for something they can not use.

[mrs.freddie]

Thank you, BHA.  Quite honestly, I do not believe there was any additional effort made on the residents' behalf to find the best rate for town curbside after we were shown the Casella bid.  Many residents vocalized they wanted to go out to bid for more competitive rates, and Myers spoke up at the special meeting saying they could compete with what Casella was proposing.  Again, yesterday we're told that no other haulers were bidding?  No RFP like we all wanted?

I emailed my contact Joe Sinagra at Myers, the rep who spoke at the Thursday special meeting,  asking him to confirm that Myers was indeed not interested in bidding on the Town curbside contract.
He responded:
"Katie,
No one has contacted me or the company in regards to a quote. In fact, I called Tom after the meeting and left him a message. I thanked him for letting me speak and told him if he needed anything else please contact me."

I asked if I could quote him, and he replied:
"I don't have a problem with you quoting me that no one from the select board or town has contact acted Myers after the meeting and in fact I said at the meeting we would be interested."

I don't like being deceived into thinking my elected officials are doing their due diligence when they are not.  That's twice now they've been called out for not being truthful about collecting bids.  I have also reached out to my colleagues at Clean Green and Gauthier's asking if they'd been contacted by the Town of Fairfax in the past 2 years. 

Casella inheriting our Act 148 work and accepting responsibility for reporting is fine, however, it's the Town who actually has to reduce trash rates, and that is the real issue not being discussed at these meetings.

Enough with this already.  We aren't being told all the information, and the information we are getting isn't accurate.   It's not the Select Board's job to understand Act 148, and joining the NWSWD will eliminate the need for them to spend any Town time trying to.
 

[mrs.freddie]

Gauthier's replied this morning that Fairfax has not requested a bid from them for town curbside since 2013.

Myers called our board chair and left a message offered to bid, and no one from our town called them back.  Myers and Gauthier's are the 2 second largest hauling companies servicing this area, and neither has heard from our select board about this bid? 

Who benefits the most if residents vote yes?   Casella is mailing flyers telling us to vote yes and hire them, so what does that tell everyone? 

[mkr]

Just a few thoughts of my own.

No offense, Mrs. Freddie, I do not need a "Social Event" bringing trash. I get you want us to be part of the district, your employer. There is a $40,000-$50,000 for us to join the district plus yearly costs; plus travel to Georgia and back hauling trash which is in my case 10+miles each way. So all things I consider when looking to form my own decision how to vote. Also, Zero sort recycling does not happen at the district so you have to do it yourself there when you drop it off. Also, an additional charge if we are the district that for every ton you charge the town $22 for our trash whether we have it picked up or brought to the facility was also explained Saturday.

Yes there are cheaper haulers out there and I have also heard if you live off the beaten path the lower rates won't be the ones you get. People in Jeffersonville can pay $90 for twice a month trash pick up we learned at town meeting and fight to get the right bill on a regular basis which would also fall on your lap to take care of versus the town.

At town meeting they explained that if we went with "yes" to curbside, they will continue to work with Casella is what it sounds like, they are going to be bringing back a lower price than what we have been currently told so instead of $32 it could be dollars less a month. They will also be covering all of Act 148 reporting/training etc. which was also stated at town meeting and any penalties if not compliant with Act 148 would be pointed back at them meaning Casella.

Something to remember about going on your own and getting your own hauler. How many bags a week do you put out and size, frequency of pick up, what don't they take for trash you might put out (i.e. Round Bail covers) what will your cost be after food/compost takes affect, and also make sure you are talking apples to apples when looking at other haulers.

The select board if they vote is "yes", will be looking to go flat rate for trash. What does that mean? It is currently a % of your property taxes, now a flat fee per parcel would remove the %. So those who have higher assessment for their property is paying the same price as the person next door. This is definitely something I am in favor of if the curbside trash continues.

Whether you vote Yes or No take time to ask the questions and be well informed so you can decide what would be best for you! Look at the facts and not opinions. If you are unsure, the Select Board is great to answer questions. Call your local haulers, talk to surrounding towns in regards to personal experiences.

I hope many of you come out to vote tomorrow!

[ohhman]

Thanks for the info Mary Kay as some are under the impression that joining the district would cost under 10k per year!!  I hope your information is read by many.  I also thank the select board for all they have tried to do!!!

[mrs.freddie]

Again, mkr, I do not work for the NWSWD, I work for the CHITTENDEN County Solid Waste district.  Big difference.  Two different municipalities, and we don't make a profit on anyone's trash, we collect a solid waste fee per ton to subsidize all the programs CSWD offers, like drop-off centers and the hazardous waste depot. 

You don't have to take your trash to a drop-off center if we vote no, and the Georgia one is right next to exit 18, which I drive by daily, twice.  Again that's if we join the NWSWD, not CSWD, 2 different, separate, entities. 

How do you figure that expense to join?  It's $2.50 per person to buy in, and that's a one time cost, so, I pay $10 for my family of 4. Then it's $1 per person, per year after. Forever. So, $4 for my family each year.  This is a fraction of a percent on our tax bill.   

Below is the exact information from the NWSWD flyer sent to our board encouraging them to join over a year ago:

Northwest Vermont Solid Waste Management District as an option for solid waste management in the Town of Fairfax.

[/b]

Option 1: Currently, the Town of Fairfax budgets and pays for activities that are required by the State of Vermont such as planning and hazardous waste collections.  A new Solid Waste Management Bill has just passed the Vermont Legislature and a new Solid Waste Implementation Plan is being written by the State.  Moving forward any Municipalities’ Solid Waste plan will require increased services with potentially significant additional costs.

Option 2: The alternative for Fairfax residents to the higher annual costs would be to join the District.  The cost to the Town to become a member community would be:

•   $1.00 per capita annually ($4,285 approx.).  This is all that the Town would be required to budget annually for District activities.
•   A one-time payment of $2.50 per capita ($10,712.00 approx.) to “buy-in” into currently owned District property. Including land in the Town of Sheldon that has been engineered and permitted for use as a regional sanitary landfill, and the District’s Recycling Facility in Georgia.  This payment could be made in installments over a number of years. "


mkr, you state:
They will also be covering all of Act 148 reporting/training etc. which was also stated at town meeting and any penalties if not compliant with Act 148 would be pointed back at them meaning Casella.
I asked this exact question to my contact and friend at the State of Vermont, who co-wrote the law, Act 148 and this is her response:
SWIP reports will show how effective all have been and if any contractor is not effective, the town is who is ultimately responsible for the deliverables and meeting requirements.  Casella, by law, may not assume 100% of the Town of Fairfax liability for Act 148. 

I'm not trying to be a raging a**hole about this!  I do this for a living, so give me some credit that I might know what I'm talking about.   If you don't 'talk trash' all day, every day, this law is confusing.  I have been presenting all facts, no 'opinion' other than that I'm ticked off about the lack of bids and feel deceived because of the false information we were all given as to why.  Read the info from the NWSWD above and check your facts on one of the several links I've provided in previous posts that explain Act 148 in more detail. 

[mkr]

I apologize for confusing who you work for Katie.

What about the $22/ton we are going to be charged as well?

Yes all very confusing as each hauler has their own take on things as well as district.

As for travelling to Georgia, I do not go in that direction twice a day so it is not on my route. So yes extra travel for those of us that head in the other direction.

[LAFVT94]

Thank you to everyone who has provided input, research, opinion and advice on the garbage issue.  It is now up to everyone to vote at polls tomorrow with their choice.  Please get out to vote!!

Whatever the decision, the Board has committed to following through with the wishes of voters which is why, I presume, we were elected to this position; to lead and not dictate.  Since no one is running against one of the long-standing incumbents this year apparently critics of the Board members as individuals wish to remain behind the keyboard and not run for office themselves to see what it entails or understand the work required.  After two public meetings and a well-attended town meeting, the Board has tried to answer the questions of the Fairfax residents and provide the information to the best of our ability.  It is not without "what ifs" or "but fors" and is certainly not perfect - but there has been openness and transparency the entire way.      

I WILL NOT, however, sit quietly and allow any member of the Board to be called a liar or continue to allow information to be disseminated that there are shady ethics, deception or underhanded tactics at play.  If anything, the Board put in extraordinary time to research the trash issue despite no legal obligation to do so.  The easiest decision we could have made when Duffy's pulled out of the contract was to join the District without asking for what the voters desired.  The Board, however, rolled up the sleeves, dug into the issue at hand and has provided resources for each household to weigh the pros and cons of keeping curbside or moving to the District.  
We DENY that any calls have not been returned.  We DENY that we have put out bad information. We ADMIT that our last Board meeting we voted that the project would not go out for further proposals if the Town voted yes to curbside as we have confidence in the programming and price from Casella. The best price isn't always the best option and the lobbying power Casella has in Montpelier should not go without consideration.  It should also be noted that Myers reached out to our current hauler after the first informational meeting and asked to "team up" with them to put a bid in against Casella after the numbers we had were given to the public - which creates further questions as to who can take on the task of handling a municipality's garbage under Act 148 and keep us in compliance.  

Public positions require a higher level of scrutiny - and this isn't my first community service role.  However, personal attacks as to the integrity and truthfulness of those of us on the Board are without merit and do nothing more than distract from the question at hand - do you want to pay for curbside service or wish to take care of your own garbage.   Both choices have positives and negatives - as pointed out on this very list serve.

In closing, and as a reminder to the keyboard warriors who attack Board members or town employees personally from the comfort of their home or office, please note we meet the first and third Monday of each month and welcome your attendance on the record so that everyone has a fair opportunity to respond.  We also welcome volunteers all year long - if you have expertise in something that you see needs attention please volunteer those skills to the Town!  

Thanks for participating in our local democracy and getting out to VOTE tomorrow!

Best, Lauri Fisher, Vice-Chair Select Board

[mkr]

Thank you Lauri

[mrs.freddie]

Yes, you absolutely do have a legal obligation to figure out the trash here in town.  We're our own District so that's your job, to figure out Act 148.  I'm stating fact not opinion.  Call ANR, I encourage everyone to get their information straight and don't take my word for it.

I personally wasn't behind my keyboard when I came and spoke to you all at your meeting in May, then again a few months ago, then came and spoke at the special meeting.  You didn't like what I had to say back in Mau, which was all facts straight out of Act 148.  That's fine, but they're not my suggestions, they are state law.  I encourage people to check out the minutes of those meetings or the local tv video on the Town website. 

People have the RIGHT to know how deals are made with our tax dollars, and there was no transparency with this Casella bid. That's not slander, that's a fact.  So it's  he-said-she-said and it's annoying. I did my homework, and put up direct quotes and information I've gotten from my colleagues at these hauling companies I've worked with for almost a decade.  People can decide for themselves, and Myers said I could quote him. 

I'm tired of this bs...I'd LOVE to be on the Select Board, and tried to get more involved with the Town on the DRB...but, for some reason, my appointment was denied by the Select Board.   I have done actual volunteering at BFA this year, and still offer the materials I used, and the number of children I spoke to for the report, whoever ends up doing it.

[mrs.freddie]

I'm off my 'recyclable' soap box (get it? let's all lighten up, including me) and I retract my post suggesting our board was being dishonest.  Lauri has explained what went into getting Casella's bid, which wasn't made clear previously, and that's all I was looking for.  I work hard at my trash-y day job and was concerned about my taxes being allocated in our best financial interest. I live trash, as glamorous as that sounds, and am happy to continue to volunteer at BFA to educate our kids (and staff!) on what is and isn't recyclable and what they can compost, which is coming down the pike soon!  Community garden grown with compost made from residents food scraps, anyone?  Need to build a compost bin?  I'm totally up for helping out with any of this, and welcome residents to reach out if they're looking to start composting before it becomes mandatory for everyone in 2020.

All's fair in love, trash, and pretty soon, food scraps

Vote, do your civic duty, and I'm going to go break down my cardboard soap box and put it in my blue bin.

[tfence]

is there more quotes other than Casella?

[BHA]

is there more quotes other than Casella?

Based on everything presented at the special Thursday meeting and at Town Meeting, No.

[mkr]

Duffy's did put a bid in