The Greensboro City Council plans to discuss what has been called “the third rail” of city government at a work session on Thursday, April 13 beginning at 2 p.m.
The topic is loose leaf collection and in the past when the City Council has considered ending loose leaf collection, councilmembers have said that they have received more phone calls, emails, text messages and even old fashioned letters from constituents than they have received about any other issue.
But the presentation at this work session will be different from past presentations, which have demonstrated that for the city to end loose leaf collection and only collect bagged leaves would be a more expensive option. One of the major factors in the past has been equipment. The city currently has the equipment for loose leaf collection and moving to a different system would require buying new equipment.
The current analysis is that the city would reduce costs by scrapping its current equipment and buying new equipment, which would include a new 96 gallon yard waste container for each residence. People would also be given the option of purchasing their own reusable “leaf burrito.” Plastic bags would be outlawed and only compostable/biodegradable paper bags would be allowed for leaves and other yard waste. Residents would be limited to 10 bags in addition to the 96 gallon container per week with the possible exception that 20 bags would be allowed from November to January.
The reusable “leaf burrito” is currently used by Charlotte and has the added advantage according to the proposal of “no cost to the city.”
The options to be considered by the City Council are:
“A. Eliminate loose leaf vacuum collection program
:B. Change code to prohibit plastic bags
“C. Accept leaf burrito (code change)
“D. 96-gallon containers for YW [yard waste]
“E. Implement all options”
According to the report the current method of loose leaf collection will cost the city $32.1 million over the next 15 years while the proposed system will cost $28.4 million over the same time period.
Elderly and disabled people who pay for yard services will probably have to pay more for those services if the leaves have to be bagged but who cares if the same people who paid taxes their whole life have to pay even more.right Council?
Just pick up the leaves. It is one of the things the city does that makes sense AND they are good at doing.
Why is any change necessary at all? After ALL, we are paying for it, in Spades.
Another SNAFU. You voted them in so enjoy while they waste your 30% tax increase. I wonder where the Charlotte idea came from?
A difference of less than $4,000,000? No worries, Council can spend that much on pet projects.
Let’s see the numbers on this supposed cost savings analysis. Is there a commensurate drop in my property taxes or will that simply go to additional raises for themselves? I’m sure it does not factor in the economic loss of the cumulative hours required by residents hiving up precious hours of their lives, bagging leaves every week or having to pay yard workers to do so.
Mandate Mayor needs all that money for debt service on the over budget Performance Arts Palace downtown. Services disappear so socialites can see Broadway revivals subsidized by the rank and file.
I have seen this trend of not providing services that the city is structured to provide. Who up there is cutting programs without cutting staff. I suggest flood council with your displeasure. They won’t read them but will get a sense of pissin’ off voters. East greensboro will win this battle for us all. It will be seen as unfair for East to bag up leaves. Another service not offered, It seems that the county doesn’t have a problem picking up glass in recycle trash. Why is it such a problem for the city? Another service that is environmentally correct and structured to provide, but someone doesn’t want to do the job. City, do the work, we are all paying greatly for these services. Make home ownership in greensboro a benefit, not a challenge.
What else do we get for our property tax reaming? Most are pet projects with useless feel good crap like bike lanes,etc. Gummint thinks your so dumb they have to paint bicycles and arrows on the pavement. A government that can give you everything you want, is big enough to take everything you have!
Just another way for the city to stick it to us. Will not end till we get rid of this warm and fuzzy city council.