Budget cuts lead to bulk-refuse collection center closure
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
It’s not like it wasn’t used. The Waynesboro public-works department recorded 25,968 visits to the city’s bulk-refuse collection center last year.
Those visits will take city residents halfway across the county to Jollivue beginning July 1 – that, or we’re going to see a lot more bulky garbage piling up on sidewalks and in alleyways for perhaps weeks at a time.
“This is truly a reduction in service,” City Councilwoman Lorie Smith said of the decision by Waynesboro City Council to close the bulk-refuse collection center located off North Delphine Avenue effective July 1.
The move was among a series of budget cuts that Smith and others feel was necessitated by the decision to pay for the first year of long-awaited and long-debated stormwater-system improvements out of the general fund as opposed to paying for them from a separate utility fee that would have cost the average city ratepayer in the area of $5 to $6 a month.
The hundreds of residents who made the estimated 2,000 visits a month to the bulk-refuse center to drop off garbage will surely pay at least that much making that 16-mile round trip back and forth to Jollivue with gas costing $4 a gallon and more these days.
“I would like to figure what that will cost people to drive separate cars to the Augusta landfill as well as the cost of sending trucks to pick up trash in everyone’s alleyway that they would have driven to the dropoff point. Bad economics either way,” city resident Bruce Ketchum said.
That second expense will fall on city taxpayers as well, as Ketchum points out. The public-works department will augment its services to city residents who take advantage of the city’s refuse-collection services with a once-a-month bulk-refuse collection at no additional charge to ratepayers.
The bottom-line impact on the city budget from the closure of the bulk-refuse collection center is projected at $34,123, according to the public-works department.
“These cuts are painful. And I think they’re probably the first of many to come. And that’s unfortunate. We’ve just got to understand how to best utilize and maximize our opportunities in the general fund,” Smith said.
***
After the July 1 closure of the bulk-refuse portion of the Public Convenience Center, residents will have the following options for bulk refuse disposal:
- For a $25 bi-monthly fee for refuse collection (90-gallon can, one pickup per week), the City of Waynesboro additionally provides a bulk-refuse collection one time per month at no extra charge (no construction debris or contracted yard service debris allowed).
- For non-refuse residents, a special pickup can be arranged by calling the Solid Waste Management Division at 540.942.6764 for a fee of $35 per load.
- The regional landfill will accept bulk refuse for no charge to Waynesboro city resident (bring utility bill if new resident, city sticker or driver’s license to prove residency). There is a charge for tires: car tires off rim will cost $1.50 each; on the rim $3 each; dump truck tires will cost $8.00 each. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. from Monday-Saturday. For more information about the regional landfill, go to www.acsawater.com and choose the link to the landfill site.
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[...] the new majority answers my criticism of the decision to close the bulk-refuse collection center. And go figure, it includes a slur aimed [...]
Well it’s a positive that the stormwater is being addressed, one hopes there’ll be progress on that front for sure with cuts in services happending.
I would think it’s a much bigger hassle for ciity residents to have to drive out to the county to dump their trash (even though I do it all the time). That spot on Delphine was so convenient too! (I drive by it every day).
This has got to be one of the dumbest moves our City Council has ever made. I won’t travel to Jollyvue. I’ll just put it all in the trash. If everyone does this we’ll just be increasing the volume of trash at the land fill. Come on City Council, rethink this decision.
Chris -
Do your usage numbers distinguish between visits for recycling dropoff (which will still be available) and trash disposal? Also, do your numbers take into account non-Waynesboro residents that use the facility?
The Convenience Center was created as just that, a convenience, when the local landfill closed, and it was paid for out of the general fund.
I use it and appreciate it, mostly for recycling, but I don’t think the City needs to make dropping off trash any more convenient for people who don’t want to pay for City services.
I also don’t think the City needs to compete with its own services, or the private sector trash disposal folks.
Alex,
The numbers, from the public-works department, relative to usage are specific to usage of the bulk-refuse collection center. They are not inclusive of usage of the recycling center.
I don’t know that everyone who uses (soon to be “used” ) the dropoff point did so to try to avoid paying for city services. The residents that I am hearing from who are upset about this have told me that the inconvenience that they will feel will be relative to being able to dispose of household items that they can’t just put in their city trash cans to sit out on the curb once a week, or items that need to be disposed as a result of remodeling work.
Say what you will about the convenience and cost factors, but this is a service that is obviously used and used often by city residents that they will soon not be able to use anymore. And it is being done in the guise of saving the taxpayers money, when in reality the taxpayers are actually assuming more in the way of costs on their end.
Chris -
As I said, I myself use(d) the Center, so I am one of the people theoretically affected. And I agree that it’s less convenient, but that’s about as far as it goes.
As you mention, City residents who pay for trash service can put out household items for the once a month bulk service. Also, the small minority of residents who have remodeling trash (which also happens to currently include me) do have the main dump for free.
“it is being done in the guise of saving the taxpayers money, when in reality the taxpayers are actually assuming more in the way of costs on their end”
Actually, it’s being done in the name of providing other services without raising taxes, which is not exactly the same thing. And when you do the math, about 26,000 visits a year is just over one visit annually per City resident, not exactly gangbusters business.
Again, is it less convenient, yes. Is it something I’d pay more in taxes for? No thanks.
We hear a lot about “the little guy” and how actions involving city government affect him. Who do you think is more likely to be a regular visitor to the refuse-collection center? You, Alex Stevens, or me, Chris Graham? No. It’s the little guy, or the retired couple on a fixed income. “Providing other services without raising taxes” means they get less service at more cost to their bottom line.
Passing the buck from the city to the wallets of taxpayers in ways that we can’t call taxes or fees is still passing the buck. But we don’t have to worry about that, Alex. The little guy does, though.