The Brattleboro Pay-As-You-Throw Committee (PAYT) will meet on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. The Committee will then meet jointly with the Selectboard starting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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PAY-AS-YOU-THROW ADVISORY COMMITTEE/WORKING GROUP
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014 – 4:00PM
HANNA COSMAN MEETING ROOM
MUNICIPAL CENTER, 230 MAIN STREET
AGENDA
Committee’s Charge: The Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) advisory committee/working group will develop a plan for implementation of a unit based pricing for solid waste that conforms to the requirements of Act 148, and will report to the Selectboard at least every 60 days.
1. Approve Minutes – December 3
2. Review Ordinance
3. Consider Bids for Trash Bags
4. Other Business
5. Public Participation
6. Schedule Next Meeting
7. Recess
8. Meet with the Selectboard
Bag Choice Please! Use Stickers or tags.
Again, I think we all need to preserve our choice of bags, and the way to do that is with a system of stickers of tags.
I like big black bags. Others like small white bags. I don’t like having drawstrings. Others love drawstrings. I don’t want mine lemon-scented. Others count on the lemon scent to make their room smell clean. Some like recycled plastic bags. Some like thin bags. Some like thick plastic.
There is NO way for this group to find a bag that will please everyone. It’s like trying to mandate a town-wide soft-drink.
Please come up with a system of stickers or tags that we can affix based on the volume of our personally-approved and selected trash bags. It will save this committee (already with some major conflicts of interest, and begun without letters of interest from citizens, I might add) complaints and hassles during implementation.
Very curious
What is the major conflict of interest that you mention?
I am not doubting that it could exist, just curious what you have in mind.
Maybe it's nothing...
The committee is made up of:
Moss Kahler – consultant, who stands to be hired as coordinator of the roll-out
Peter Gaskill – of Triple T, who gets the contract for collection
Bob Spencer – of WSWMD, who Brattleboro also pays for trash
Carl Hirth
Jane Southworth
A majority of the members have financial interests in the outcome. Typically one would recuse oneself from any decisions in that regard, but that would wipe out the committee. : )
Also, they a majority were appointed by the Selectboard without taking letters of interest from the community, so you and I (for example) were not invited to be a part of the planning.
It was done in good faith, I believe, trying to quickly get people with trash expertise to come up with a revenue generation plan. But, it also may help explain why the plan is going to cost us the maximum amount, and why the system will be good from a town and pickup point of view, but maybe not so good from a regular taxpayer point of view.
We’ll see… so far they seem to be aiming for maximum-priced bags of their choosing.
I may be mistaken but I think
I may be mistaken but I think Jane Southworth does or did work for WSWMD.
You’re right Chris that stickers or tags makes more sense. I trust myself to spend my money on what I want rather than other folks deciding that for me.
More bag options
I saw another option at the store (one I wouldn’t want), which is the reinforced, ribbed bags.
I’m sure someone else swears by them. : )
Bags
I think if they develop a large conspicuous yellow bag that can fit over your own personal “bag of choice” save the ribbing, everyone would make out but it would obviously be an excess of plastic this way unless bio degradable. Stickers and tags could be stolen unfortunately and represents just another step besides forking out the cash.
If it was a sticker that
If it was a sticker that adhered securely to the trash bags how could they be stolen? Having to purchase bags that the committee has chosen -without asking for any input from the people who will actually use them and have to pay for them is a much more expensive “step” than a sticker program. I’m quite capable of choosing the type of trash bag that works best for my trash needs. Not sure I need a committee making that decision for me.
Stickers or death
It’d be wasteful to use actual bags, as the cost would go up on both sides. A good sticker that can’t be pulled off once applied is the way to go, and could be printed by the program’s staff at a very low cost for each size bag used. To order and buy the bags, have them printed, then delivered and distributed, and also admin all that procedure is a waste of potential profits. This is supposed to be about cutting waste, so don’t be hypocritical. Make stickers.
bagging bags
Clever solution, but I’m not in favor of buying a bag for my bag. : )
Stickers/tags could be coded, so they could be tracked if stolen. Sort of like the way the printed parking meters are only good for one lot. Maybe neighborhoods could be color-coded, so they only work if they are located in a given location.
Designed correctly, people could probably print them from home as needed. Low overhead.
That makes much more sense,
That makes much more sense, dealing with stickers at 6:00 am will just be part of the fun/expense I suppose but please lets not make it too complicated. Please don’t suggest imposed home printing, many people aren’t set up for this, thanks
Stamp Collectors
We could come up with new and artistic designs each year, to make them collectible and therefore generate a small amount of additional revenue as people buy them to collect, as is the case with postage stamps and Disney Dollars.
The Art Committee should be in on this project. : )
Changing designs often also helps fight counterfeiting.
And yes, no mandatory printing at home – just an option to reduce costs.
Stickers for Bags. Grotke for Town Selectboard
Really that makes so much sense, that it speaks of a mind that would be an excellent contribution to the selectboard.
How do we actually help make the stickers a reality? Chatting here is great for brainstorming. But what’s next? A petition? There has to be best next step, an action.
What is it?
Correction
Correction. I’ve been told that two of the members did answer a public call and were appointed in public session. The other 3 slots were not open to the public.
Sorry for any confusion.
That doesn't mean there isn't
That doesn’t mean there isn’t a conflict of interest happening…How could there NOT be?