Before the members of the Henderson City Council heard staff present on the virtues of privatized curbside solid waste pickup, three Henderson residents took the podium to speak against the current plan during yesterday’s regular monthly meeting.
Resident Lawrence Harris expressed the concern that pushing the large 96 gallon trash bin “is more than most people can do”. Stating that he thinks that back door trash pickup is “one of the best services that this town can do”, he said he did not see any reason in the world to do away with the service.
Harris stating a willingness to pay more taxes for the service.
Geneva Harris also told members that she was opposed to changing from pickup service. She told members that she thought it best to keep the service under the city’s control.
Former Henderson City Council candidate Lewis Edwards told members that he opposes the privatization of solid waste collection. He said that the city was rushing into a “bad decision”, and asked members to consider the “opportunity” before them.
Edwards recommended to members a company (InEnTec) that converts municipal solid waste to energy in a process called plasma-enhanced melting. He also noted that a ton of municipal waste contains more aluminum and steel than a ton of corresponding ore. Edwards indicated that the government is giving grants “left and right” for those willing to innovate in this area.
“Let’s look at something out of the box,” Edwards told council members.
Assistant City Manager Frank Frazier and Public Works Director Linda Leyen then took center stage to respond to questions that were raised during the last council discussion on solid waste removal privatization during the last work session.
Frazier and Leyen emphasized the following points:
Click here to view the complete presentation.
In response to a question posed during the last discussion on trash removal privatization, Frazier told members that the base price for Waste Industries to haul the city’s garbage is $8.94 per household, assuming a ten-year contract with two automatic five-year renewals.
The city’s current price for back door pickup is $9.91 per residence. However, the city staffers projected that that cost would increase to over $13 per household due to the need for new vehicles and increases in labor costs.
Frazier and Leyen accounted for the $15.09 difference between the sanitation fee, currently $25, and the actual sanitation costs by breaking down how the money is used. In 1999, the sanitation rate was $16 per house. In 2003, the rate was increased by $4 and used for revenue bonds, debt service, the new police department building, the Aycock Recreation Complex, and the replacement of funds withheld by the state during that fiscal year. In 2005, $5 was added for recycling and code compliance. In 2006, the rate was raised by $2 to increase general fund revenue, and in 2009 the rate was reduced by the same amount.
City Manger Ray Griffin characterized the practice of raising sanitation fees to avoid tax increases “not uncommon” in municipal government. He stated that the sanitation fee is the third largest revenue source for the city.
The fee is also the highest in the area. The city of Franklinton charges $16 for once-weekly back door pickup; Oxford charges $20.55, and Warrenton charges $24 for the same service.
In answer to a question from council member Mike Inscoe, Waste Industries per household charge for back door service would be $11.25 for garbage and $2.49 for recycling.
Member Mary Emma Evans stated that she believes that Henderson’s customers are already satisfied with the sanitation service and do not want privatization. She worried that employees would lose their jobs and not be able to find other jobs with insurance and benefits. As to worker injuries, she claimed that the protective clothing policy has not been enforced as it should be.
Leyen rejoined that gloves are worn by trash collectors every day.
Frazier ended the discussion by expressing gratitude to city sanitation employees and telling members that curbside pickup is “the way it is across the state”.