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Augusta will have a chance to renegotiate the terms of citywide garbage service next year, and Solid Waste Director Mark Johnson says he'll recommend cutting back from twice-a-week to once-a-week trash pickup.
The contracts with Augusta Disposal & Recycling, Inland Service Corp., and Advanced Disposal end Dec. 31, 2010. The city could extend them to 2012 without changes, take the opportunity to reset the parameters and cut costs, or put the jobs back out for bid, Mr. Johnson said.
At Monday's Engineering Services Committee meeting he told city commissioners -- who will ultimately decide -- that he doesn't think city residents need their cans dumped twice a week.
"I am of the opinion that we over-serve," Mr. Johnson said.
He also suggested allowing residents to pay different sets of rates based on how much trash they need taken away.
For those who need the least amount, they could pay to have one 35-gallon container dumped. The next step up would be a single 95-gallon can, which customers currently have. Above that, they could pay for two 95-gallon cans.
In an interview with The Chronicle, Mr. Johnson said he didn't know how much money could be saved or what those rates might be. "There are too many moving targets right now," he said.
Other adjustments could be made to make the service -- which has been mandatory and tacked on tax bills citywide since 2001 -- more efficient, Mr. Johnson said.
Perhaps bulk waste could be picked up only by request, rather than having trucks drive through neighborhoods weekly looking for it, he said. The same might go for large limbs and trees.
Perhaps the city's haulers shouldn't be picking up yard waste at all unless it's bagged, leaving bigger jobs to private companies which customers could pay separately, he said. Maybe only two tires should be picked up at a time, instead of the current four.
The question is whether the service should be designed around what most people need, or around the exceptions to the rule, which is more costly but might contribute to an overall cleaner city.
"How do you frame the service?" Mr. Johnson said. "Do you frame it around the common need? Not a lot of people cut down trees."
This year, the trash rate for Augusta's 60,000 or so customers went up by $9.50 -- 79 cents more a month, or a 3.2 percent increase.
The increase is expected to bring in about $570,000 in extra revenue, with $404,000 of that covering an increase in haulers' cost and the rest meant to chip away at the city's deficit.
Augusta Disposal & Recycling also works in Columbia County -- where trash service is between residents and private haulers -- and on its own initiative stopped twice-a-week pickup in Grovetown and in the Ivy Falls, Chamblin Road and North Belair Road areas, according to Contract Administrator Monique Woods.
With more people recycling, households are generating less trash, she said. Driving into those neighborhoods twice per week became a waste of manpower and fuel. In a given area of 100 customers, Ms. Woods said, 75 might only want once-a-week pickup.
The solution, she said, has been to give the 25 that want it twice two cans.
Engineering Services chairman Commissioner Jimmy Smith said a workshop on the issue will be held on an undetermined date in November.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com
Comments
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How about bulk waste being picked up once a month? I'm still trying to figure out how picking up two tires twice makes more sense than picking up 4 tires in one trip. At least someone is looking at the issue and not ignoring a system that could be changed to save money.
same old richmond county junk cut services pay more . Just like everything else about this sorry county! Belive me if it were possible to pack up my family and move to another state I would ,but with less than 7 yrs. till retirement I'll be stuck in this God for saken sess pool ,yea I know so don't even say it Delta is ....... Ya'll have a great day & a better tomorrow
This is a service that should not loose money. If ALL property owners were required to pay THE SAME for solid waste pickup the deficit could be eliminated. People who fail to pay their property tax bills, which includes the solid waste fee, should no longer receive the pickup service, just like they would get their water or electricity cut off if those bills are not paid.
First of all, it appears that Mr. Johnson was told to just cut cost. And when asked how he would do this, he started talking without presenting any recommendations based on research/study. This really sounds like talk-around-the-office-cooler. No, not a lot of people cut down TREES, but some of us do clean, trim and bag yard waste weekly. This is done more in the spring and again in the fall. There may be some months when this service could drop back to once or twice a month instead of weekly. But PLEASE do not completely dicontinue this service. If you want Augusta to be BEAUTIFUL, we must work the yards, cut back and trim things up. Rodents, moles, ants, etc. come when this waste is not removed. Think HEALTH issues. As for Cost, adjusting the household rate to the need should be initiated ASAP ! A One-household person should not pay the same price as a family of four or more with cans running over on both days. Single persons only need one pick-up a week. BULK waste can be reduced to twice a month using the same pick-up day. Get the chairs and all 4 tires. And PLEASE keep the RECYCLE as is- once a week; recycling is a must-have AND should be encouraged.
OK so we will go to once a week pickup with no reduction in what you pay. Bet on it!! Also if EVERYBODY in Augusta-Richmond County paid the same for service there would be no deficit. Most people would have no problem with an 80 cents increase per month if you got good service. Bulk waste pickup is part of what we currently pay for and if that is removed from the service a reduction in cost must also be made as we would be losing a service that may cost us extra once the new contracts are finalized. Amazing how all of the taxation, garbarge disposal and other services that tax the Citizens will only be discussed AFTER the Commission elections. And the Commissioners wonder why people are leaving Richmond County (businesses also) in droves.
I think one regular trash pickup a week along with a recycle pickup will be plenty even for families. If you haven't checked into the recycle can, please do. The recyle can is the same size as the regular can and it's good for the environment too. But on another note - if we drop down to once a week, I want to see a reduction in my taxes. I also agree with others that if someone is not paying their taxes, then their trash pickup service should cease!
Same old justify my job by changing things... I love my Inland Service and I was a private pay for YEARS...
Typical Government solution - reduce the services you offer to your customer to cut costs. Is this what you want in your HealthCare?!
Let me begin by stating the fact that not everyone pays the same!!! If you live in the old county you pay a fee, in the old city, its part of your millage rate. So if you have an inexpensive house you pay less than those with higher values. So much for CONSOLIDATION??????????????????
Sort of like special tax districts....Anyway, once a week is plenty.
In Hawaii they only picked up once a week, but the cans were a little larger. Better not forget to put the trash out. It just wasn't enough for a lot of people and as a result there were always over filled cans and trash every where from critters getting at it. I think the once a week thing would be a big mistake. Better think of charging more or some other solution.
why not compost your yard waste and grow tasty, nutritious food?
Augusta politics as usual. Let's stick it to the old Richmond County residents. You know the ones that were blinded by the consolidation lies. The vote should have been nullified the minute we found out the city was broke. That's why businesses have to submit financials when merging and going into contracts. There is so much underhanded, backroom, good ole boy dealing in Augusta. I just wish someone could explain why my property taxes have tripled in the last 3 years. I'm sure not getting anymore bang for my buck....getting banged is more like it!!
butler - read my post from earlier - if you get a recycle can it's like having 2! It's not that hard to separate them out. And I'm telling you our regular trash is never even full and we only put it on the curb once a week. Once a week will be enough. We have got to find ways to cut costs and this is a good idea.
Since recycling at home, we have LESS than one kitchen-sized bag of trash a week for a family of four. Who can't fit that into a can?
Not a bad idea creolechick, I think in some places sorting is actually the law. Might be a solution.
Sorry to be dumb about this, but what exactly goes in the recycle can? NEone, how do you recycle at home?
Riverman1: It is explained @ http://www.augustaga.gov/index.aspx?nid=674
Riverman, currently in Rich. Co., you can recycle paper, plastic and cans. They don't do glass yet - which I wish they would. Maybe they will take glass soon. But just the boxes that everything comes in and the plastic milk & coke jugs etc, makes a big difference. They also don't want plastic bags in the can. I wish I knew where I could take all the plastic bags to recycle. I now try to use the reusable shopping bags as much as possible.
Yes, NEone, please enlighten us. Where do you get the can, what do you put in it, who picks it up, etc. I really don't know much about this. Also I agree with you on the bulk trash. I think most times people have their bulk trash around for awhile before they put in out anyway. If you just have to get rid of it you can always take it to the dump. Can't you?
If you recycle and keep your bins outside, you have to rinse every item completely and get every speck of food off. Otherwise you will be picking up trash from your yard, because it will attract every dog, cat, possum, raccoon, and coyote. Keep a bottle of bleach handy and pour it over what's in the bins a couple of days per week. The smell of the bleach will keep them away.
Sure glad I moved to North Augusta. we have very good garbage collection, inclduing large items such as chairs, sofas, washing machines as well as yard cuttings (not bagged), water, sewage fee and rain runoff fee for only $60 or less bucks on average.
creolechick, those plastic shopping bags are good for small trash cans like in the bathroom or bedrooms.
Sorry folks, I don't live in RC to know how it is supposed to work there. All I'm saying is that it is quite possible to cut down our carbon footprint and throw away less. It's not a hardship and we don't have trash overflowing in the can every week. I'm amazed at what could be recycled, if only people cared.
Yes, I do reuse the bags in my small trashcans but I have way more than enough for that. But I am trying to get in the habit of taking my reuseable bags with me to shop but sometimes I forget them. But they hold so much more & are easier to carry. I wish more people would embrace them and also stop asking for a bag for just one item especially if it is something easy to carry with a handle like laundry detergent or milk.
Return the shopping bags to the store, Most have a bin as you go in for these to be recycled.
hey joe..now you holler about "consolidation", it's evident you only care about your own street...of course there aren't any pot holes in summerville...but i don't see you speaking out against consolidation when it comes to the proposal to stick ALL RICHMOND COUNTY RESIDENTS with debt totalling 40-50 million dollars for the TEE CENTER, which by the way i have been asking you for the market/demographic and/or feasibility study to support it........since you are a commissioner wouldn't make sense to work for the betterment of augusta as a whole but thru the context of improving the district that you represent first then look for other problems throughout augusta and build a concensous to get those problems solved...oh i forgot you don't have potholes in your neighborhood....by the way i live you your neighborhood and i vote....religously
"In an interview with The Chronicle, Mr. Johnson said he didn't know how much money could be saved or what those rates might be. "There are too many moving targets right now," he said." Another great example as to why government should be banned from operating private businesses. If Johnson has really done his homework, he would have at least some idea about what monies would be saved using his new notion of garbage pick-up services. Asking for a raise in rates or a change in services needs to be examined closely in order to make the request. Until they do this, the raise in rates and/or change in services should be patently denied.
Restaurants, businesses, and apartment complexs still need to be picked up daily, and that's where most of the garbage is generated. The savings aren't going to be as great as people expect.
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