28 JAN 09: Five-Dollar, So Long
Nearly six months after a series of public hearings, Columbus Council received an "Integrated Waste Rate Study" Tuesday. Finally, there's a plan to throw around the trash cans of white people and African-American people with equal abuse.
City Manager Isaiah Hugley presented a report of more than 80 pages, at a Columbus Council work session. Considering it calls for mandatory recycling by 2012, we hope the report was printed on environmentally-friendly white paper.
The big news in the report is that the City Manager recommended Columbus city garbage fees go up five dollars. That's a switch from the hearings last summer, when Isaiah Hugley and his staff preferred a cut to one trash pickup per week [8 Aug 08]. Hugley apparently is following President Obama's example about spending money to get out of a recession.
But Wednesday's Ledger-Enquirer reports Columbus Council decided on an option mentioned at public hearings, which was NOT in the waste study. The mayor and council chose to do nothing, and keep things as is. So does this mean the rate study goes in the garbage - or in a recycle bin until next year?
Mayor Jim Wetherington apparently opposes any rate increase right now because we're in a recession, and voters already approved the sales tax for public safety. Maybe Columbus Council will get back to it in 2011, and call it a "BRAC Tax."
Right now Columbus residents pay 14 dollars a month for trash collection, which is added to their water bill. The City Manager wanted that increased to 19 dollars a month, or a hike of 36 percent. It's like we suddenly have a garbage cartel called OPERC -- Operation to Protect the Environment, by Raising Costs.
Isaiah Hugley explained to the evening news that the costs of trash collection keep going up. That means everything from personnel and equipment, to landfill closure and "post closure." I assume that last part refers to what happens after the current landfill is full -- and not a shift of all Fort Benning personnel to Texas.
The proposal to reduce trash pickup from twice a week to once a week was popular at the hearing I attended last summer, but it's now in second place on the city's suggestion list. Once again, singles have a reason to feel slighted....
City officials hinted last summer that once-a-week trash pickup might be possible with no fee increase. But Tuesday's study included one - with monthly fees going up to $17.25. So you'd pay more for less service, following the long-term trend of gasoline stations.
The third option on Isaiah Hugley's list is the split schedule for trash pickup: once a week during the winter, twice a week during summer. But fees would go up to 18 dollars a month, anyway - so you couldn't really give this a label of "Daylight Savings Time."
There's one big question left unanswered, in this "trash talk." What did the people who attended last summer's public hearings prefer? They were asked to fill out a short survey, ranking their preferences. But then again, people had the savings accounts last summer to pay five dollars a month more.
The City Manager was openly skeptical last summer about going to mandatory recycling in Columbus. But apparently enough people suggested it at public hearings that it was added to his plan. Don't set aside recyclable glass, and you may find it's a pain in.... well, you know....
BLOG UPDATE: Will whomever started the latest rumor about Peachtree Mall please stop it? It's spreading so fast that Pam at the mall office knew what it was Tuesday, before we even mentioned it. No, the mall is NOT about to close. No, it's NOT being sold to Columbus State University. And no, Ruby Tuesday does NOT plan to change its name every day of the week.
I asked Pam about the latest wave of Peachtree Mall speculation. "When did these rumors start? Do you know?"
"About 30 years ago."
BLOG SPECIAL EVENT: We're asking for your help in a new project, listing slang words and phrases which are distinctive to the Columbus area. Here's the first suggestion:
You can't get any better than the slang for ruined - RUINT. I don't know if the spelling is write, but that happens with slang.
Thanks!!
I'm old enough to remember when that word referred to a short guy, and that.... oh wait. That's a "runt."
E-MAIL UPDATE: The InBox also has this invitation....
Richard,
As you know my wife and I are on The Board Of Directors for Georgia PTA, That is why along with School Board Member Ms. Brenda Storey, as well as Dr. Arnold at Shaw High School, we are having at meet and greet with the New Superintendant at Shaw High School at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night January 29. Everyone is welcome. Thanks pal for ALL you do for our community.
--
Charles Law hon
So here's your opportunity to meet Dr. Susan Andrews before she starts her new job next week - and before she goes into hiding in the superintendent's office, coming out only for school board meetings.
One of our short Sunday items has a reader asking for more:
+ Which local church pastor said in the middle of a sermon that "the solution to the Palestinian problem" is for Israel to destroy all the Palestinians, since they're "vile?"
Are you kidding me? Are you going to say who? That would have to go on my "make sure you don't attend" list.
Enjoying the blog,
Steve
Uh-oh - I think you caught me. This is a pastor who's asked to be notified whenever I mention him on this blog, because he's a bit sensitive about what we post about him. So I kept his identity vague, to avoid notifying him - which also might protect me from being kicked out forever.
The verses cited by this pastor to make his point came from Deuteronomy 7. He's not the first to notice those verses. Some use them to argue Israel was right to move troops in Gaza. Others twist them to claim some Jews are racist. It may come down to whether you think Palestinians can be considered Pal's.
We thank all of you who take time to write us - and now let's wrap up other Tuesday headlines:
+ The high temperature in Columbus was 72 degrees F. That's a nice change from last week's cold spell - or as they might say after walking outside in Oklahoma and Arkansas, a cold spill.
+ Which area military officer is claiming 80 percent of the people expected to move to Columbus from Kentucky due to base realignment have decided NOT to come? Maybe those people heard the only horse race in this area is the Steeplechase every November....
+ Jerry White with the National Infantry Museum told WLTZ the museum's new parade grounds will have soil from many major battles in U.S. history. But how will soldiers know which battle soil is which? Aren't they supposed to face forward toward the commander at all times?
+ WRBL warned of a local telephone scam involving juries. Someone calls you at home claiming you missed jury duty and face arrest, then asks for your Social Security number and address. If you get a call like this, maybe you should invite the scammer to stop by with handcuffs - and tell him a friend will help by bringing a shotgun.
+ Chasity Hardman returned to Columbus, after finishing as first runner-up at the Miss America pageant. What's that - you didn't notice her arrival? If she had won the crown, half the single men in Columbus would have escorted her car down Interstate 185.
+ Troy University dedicated a new building for the College of Education. It's named after Troy Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. - which is the clearest sign yet he's running for Alabama Governor, because most colleges don't name buildings after you until you retire.
+ TMZ showed former President Jimmy Carter outside the studio of "The Daily Show," signing someone's guitar. Perhaps someone plans to set Mr. Carter's poems to music -- because I really don't think people want to hear a song based on that "malaise speech" from the late 1970's.
+ Instant Message to everyone who thinks President Obama is a socialist: Then why hasn't he seized all those coin sets with his picture on them, to help pay for his stimulus plan?
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The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
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