Dragging these new trash Bins to the main road?

[RidgeRunner]

I am surprised that everyone seems to be caught off guard by the new containers. I am certain these were discussed either at the town meeting or one of the trash meetings and that it was put out at that time that we would be transitioning to these.   

[Norton]

I am surprised that everyone seems to be caught off guard by the new containers. I am certain these were discussed either at the town meeting or one of the trash meetings and that it was put out at that time that we would be transitioning to these.   

If that's the case then I'm wrong and should just shut up.

But it sure sounds like most people were caught by surprise.

[mkr]

It was discussed Correct and the number one reason is the accountability of how much trash is allowed per new state regulations. See links below and I also copied the info from one of the trash posts on the Towns Site which was discussed at meetings as well.

So yes, this is the ACTION we have to take due to State Regulations. I personally have had a "Toter" for YEARS so animals would not get into my trash and I would not lose my cover and have been able to get it down my driveway in the snow. When I did not have a Breezeway or a garage to put them in they sat outside near my house until Wednesday.

I think everyone should take a deep breathe and please point your frustration at the State and not the town as if we do not follow the new regulations on us, the fines would be added to us as taxpayers.

Thanks for listening!  And I hope everyone has a SUPER day and can keep cool with this crazy heat!


http://www.fairfax-vt.gov/trash

Trash & Recycling Home Page
Curb-side collection of residential Trash & Recycling, in the Town of Fairfax, is funded through property taxes. The Town of Fairfax currently has a contract for this service through Casella Resource Solutions.

Collection days are Wednesday and Thursday of each week. You can view the collection schedule map to find out when your trash & recycling will be collected.

 

The State of VT has enacted Act 148 which mandates variable rate pricing. What this means to Fairfax residents, is that you can no longer put out unlimited amounts of trash to be collected weekly.

Each household is permitted to fill one (1) curbside collection cart (provided by Casella) with Trash. A Recycling curbside collection card will also be provided, however Recycling is not limited, as the goal of this restriction is to decrease the amount of recyclable materials going into the landfill.

Residents will be required to purchase a sticker for each 30 gallon bag that will not fit into the provided curbside collection cart. These stickers may be purchased at Town Hall for $2.50 each.

[RidgeRunner]

Thanks MKR for the clarification, I thought maybe I was losing my mind

[Norton]

Yes, there are new regs from the state.  Thanks for posting that info.

But that's not what we are talking about. We're talking about one trash hauler who has decided to reduce their labor costs by providing a lower level of service.  This is fine, and understandable, but they should have told us when we were deciding last spring to give them the monopoly contract for Fairfax.  It appears they didn't.  That's the issue -- that they are changing the terms of our agreement after the fact.

Their decision to go to the new system is separate from the state limit on how much we throw away.  The state didn't mandate the new collection system.  In fact, we could have voted for the other trash option (join the district like all of our neighboring towns) and we wouldn't have been forced to handle our trash this way.  So obviously there was at least one other option that would have met state regs.  We voted to continue the way we have been doing it.  But this isn't the way we have been doing it.  That vote might have been different if everyone had known the changes Casella was planning.

For example, when we voted, no one mentioned that we would have to maintain a 9 ft by 15 ft level plowed area within six feet of the road with no overhead obstacles.  Or at least that's my impression.  I could be wrong.  Does anyone out there have any record of this information being provided before we decided to hire them?

[nancyd]

So RIGHT, Norton! How ugly it is to see these every day. They make Fairfax look like a Trash Town.
Someone or persons made the Wrong decision about this!
People looking to buy real estate here will turn around. It will have an impact on property sales.
We need a citizens group to deal with this. I would join.
In the meantime, I'm looking for a flat trailer to hitch to my mule to transport up my 1000 ft driveway.

[mrs.freddie]

Hey folks, as mkr stated and included all the links and information regarding trash if Fairfax, this was all discussed and voted on on Town Meeting Day in March.  A rep from the NWSWD attended both special town meetings to relay the services they'd provide if Fairfax finally joined a Solid Waste District, like the rest of the State (minus a few).  Residents stated they did not want their curbside service disturbed and the Town out-voted joining the NWSWD, which would have moved ALL ACT148 responsibilities, laws and regulations onto the District, and off of the Town of Fairfax. 

Casella is our chosen, voted upon by all of you, entity handling Act 148 BUT the State still says it's the Town who will be the entity in violation, should any happen. That should remain on everyone's mind as they're dumping stuff into their 96G trash toters...we have to reduce trash AS A WHOLE TOWN to be in compliance with the State, not just Casella sending in our annual reports for the State on time.  That's the biggest threat, in my opinion, to increase everyone's recycling and eventually food scrap diversion to get our trash disposal tons way, way down.  Casella can only do so much, then it's up to residents to take advantage of Casella's Act 148 resources and get their trash rates down.  Casella is not on the hook for that part of Act 148 compliance with the State law. Please understand I work with state and local waste management compliance as CSWD's Enforcement Coordinator, and know this to be fact, not speculation.  I'm happy to post my confirmation of such facts from reps at the State of Vermont ANR. 

I know everyone in Town had time and an audience with the SB to provide their feedback and input leading up to current day's trash situation.  There were Fairfax Select Board meetings after Town Meeting Day where the contract was discussed, and I don't believe residents saw the contract as signed by the SB when it was finalized, so I'm not sure where the deception on Casella's part comes in.  I'm recycling, back-yard composting, and reducing our household trash as to do our part to comply with Act 148, which is ultimately NOT out to screw anyone, but to keep trash out of our ONE landfill left in this state.  People see this as a negative thing, but it's not, it's now the law because the state tried to get better recycling rates without mandates, and that did not work.   Now it's a matter of 'where do we put all the crap you throw away, most of which is recycling'?  Most other cities/towns in the State have their local Solid Waste District's doing this work, and those Districts are on the hook to get their members trash tons down.  We are responsible for this part of the law, and I'm afraid that's not publicized enough.  Complaining about it will not change the fact that it's state law now to recycle and to divert all food waste from your trash can by 2020.  It is what it is, folks.  It's not Marshall law on trash as people elude to . 

The carts were discussed way back at the Special Meeting in February, and those concerned brought these issues of cart size and cost up to the Casella staff present.  The vote was to determine if residents wanted to hand over their Town trash compliance to be managed by Casella, which we did, so that's what they're doing.  Again, flyers went out and meetings were held regarding details of the Casella contract...it's all public record so feel free to either call Casella, or the State of Vermont's ANR.  I was at a SB meeting where they discussed the cart size, frequency of collection at the curb, and eventual phase-in of food scrap collection at the curb.  Anyone could have attended this and other SB meetings, contacted the SB or Casella directly.

It's really tough to read that after all the drama of this trash contract, and residents feeling so strongly about keeping town subsidized service, that now we have it, and people are complaining about the carts, saying Casella is somehow screwing us, or just general ignorance to the Act 148 laws that a lot of folks explained prior to the vote very well on this site, and not just me.  If you voted Yes on Article 3, then you signed up for this, in whatever capacity the SB, in collaboration with Casella, decides is best for our Town.  Again, complaints should be directed to Casella, or the SB directly, as mkr reiterated.  Contract is signed and active for the next 4 years, as was decided by your YES on Article 3 vote back in March. 

If your carts are an issue, a concern or a hassle, then come together to form some kind of solution, and be adults and propose one to the SB and Casella.  What is going to work?  What about the carts are a problem?  Size? Wheels?  I encourage people to form a group, not to complain, but to form a collectively agreed upon solution for your cart issues to bring to the powers that be.  Get something done, not contribute to the negative discussion to beat this, unproductively, to death.

[lena6]

The Selectboard had already made the decision to use Casella before we voted on a non binding vote.

[7F5]

Well said Mrs. Freddie

[BHA]

As of today, Casella is not using side loading trucks, they still have to get out and move the bins behind the truck to use the lift. Don't know when (or if) they will get a side loader. Until they do, I don't think they care about the placement of the bins. In fact they routinely put the first one emptied right next to the other bin even if I've placed them 3' apart.

And yes this solution is much more easily implemented "in town" where people have short driveways, more likely paved than those at homes outside of town and flat areas at the curb. Well before the first snow flew one of the guys on the truck told me the carts don't roll in snow, the wheels just get packed in. I carry mine (I asked for 32 gallon, they do not roll on the stones that lead up to the porch and even they are cumbersome to carry) from the enclosed porch to the NOT curb and try to find somewhere fairly level to place them. Not easy as every time Nichols Rd is graded and filled the road gets higher and the angle of my "driveway" gets steeper.

I'm guessing the people in the 8 houses on Upper Meadow Road swung a deal to pay Casella a bit extra to go up their private road because after about 3 weeks of various and sometimes amuzing methods being tried to get the cans down to the main road, the trucks started going up instead.

[johnmitchell]

Fairfax is now known as "Casellaville" as a result of all the containers strewn throughout the ,entire town. Very attractive indeed and so much more efficient lol

[ohhman]

Granted we see the big bins everywhere, but is it better to see trash strewn across driveways & the roads after critters have ripped bags apart? There are a few apartments on Main hill that still either do not have or are not using the bins & every Tues pm/ Wed am, the trash is stacked/strewn across the front of the building in the road.  Just asking what looks better.  I am fine with shoveling my bins out & walking up the drive to put them for pickup, recycle only goes up when 3/4 full, & then walking them back down.  Look at it as our workout routine