Gwinnett County Waste management consolidation
On January 1, 2009, Gwinnett county will be changing the waste management companies that serve our communities. I think it’s a sound and good idea! Especially when I hear that the idea is to help our community save energy and step up our recycling capabilities across the county. Go Gwinnett County Government!
Currently, in my neighborhood, there are at least 3 different trash services that run trucks in our neighborhood. Some pick up on Wednesdays, but most pick up on Friday. It’s just flat a waste of energy to have that many trash trucks on the same roads of our county.
Does it surprise me that the companies that have been allowed to operate are not happy that one company has won out? Nope. Does it surprise me that the companies that lost the bid are now charging their current customers, Gwinnett County residents a “deactivation fee”? A little bit. While their concerns of loosing that much business seem valid, I’m quite sure they all participate in the bids of the consolidation decisions and in other words, they’ve known about this possibility for some time. The claim for the deactivation fees are based on collecting the recepticals , cobra payments for their workers that will lose their jobs, etc. as a result of this lost business. I guess it was nice that they would disclose what they plan to do with that cash from that fee but the real question is the fee fair in the first place?
Another good question is why wouldn’t Gwinnett County Clean and Beautiful not notify their residents of their project? Why would we have to hear about the change from our waste management companies with a nice fee attached? If Gwinnett County Clean and Beautiful foresaw that the companies that didn’t win out the bids would pass on this info and fee, I’m sure they would have. But then hindsight is always 20/20. My hope is that Gwinnett County will address this issue with each waste management company.
If you live in Gwinnett County, perhaps you would like to know who your future waste management company will be. It was the second question that popped in my head when I heard the news of the switch. Here’s a map! – Map Four or five waste management companies currently on the road consolidated to 2 companies in our county. Three cheers for less trash truck driving! (as long as those companies can handle the challenge!) I’m also quite hopeful that the two companies selected do not currently serve our neighborhood. It’s a possible fresh start!
If you live in a county that doesn’t has centralized waste management, perhaps you should consider taking that up with your county! Here is the link to Gwinnett County Clean and Beautiful. Perhaps your county can make the switch and learn from the mistakes and trials of Gwinnett’s journey! That is what it’s all about now isn’t it?
NEW UPDATES to Waste Management CAN BE FOUND Here.
Comments for this blog post are closed now. Thank you for your time. ~Regina
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wm Nolte
As a private hauler who is losing business but not charging any deactivation fees.
I am all for the haulers charging fees especially due to GOVERMENT INVOLVEMENT.
For 2 companies to get all of gwinnett iit smacks of collusion, id also be wary of Advanced Waste the Northern area hauler as they are owned by HIghstarII Fund a Dvision of AIG Sound company to due Business with LOL.
A. Porter
Government is bad at everything it does. History proves this time and again. The markets/industry are most efficient by it’s very nature. The same truck capacity will be required then as now because the volume will not change substantially. I do not need the nanny state in my life any more than now. We should be looking to reduce the role of government, not increase it.
Regina
Why is government bad at everything it does? If it’s bad we should avoid it? Sounds like ostrich head in the sand to me. We can change things but we have to roll up our sleeves and limit complaining.
wm Nolte, collusion is sort of harsh to say without a bit of back up to prove that… As for connecting the selected company to AIG…well that sounds a whole lot like fear mongering. Not a huge fan. Where are the facts?
A. Porter – “Government is bad at everything it does.” …And Rome’s aqueducts were such a bad idea! As for truck capacity, 3 trucks driving the same subdivision path is just a plain waste of gas whether you have 1 truck or 50.
Sorry guys, this sounds way too much like whining.
Harold Brown
One of the 3 big lies:
“Hi, I’m here from the government and I’m here to help you.”
When government steps in and reduces competition, the consumer seldom benefits.
Under this plan, I will have NO trash removal options. Before, if I was unhappy with a hauler’s price or quality of service, I had the opportunity to shop around for a better deal; something I’ve done several times over the years. Now I’m stuck with whatever company the County forces upon me and will have to pay whatever rate they decide to charge. HOW CAN THIS BE A GOOD THING?
My guess is that the County doesn’t give a care how many trash haulers its residents use. This is nothing more that a subtle way to raise revenue without raising taxes. We’ll pay the higher rates and the selected haulers will kick it back to the County in the form of permits, disposal fees, and the like.
As the old saying goes, “You can spray perfume on a pig, but its still a pig.” I think this decision stinks of “pork”.
My humble opinion.
Regina
Hey Harold,
If you know of kick backs happening with Gwinnett county government, I urge you to come forward with that information to reform our government. We can sit here on my blog and complain about it, or we can do something about it.
Dekalb county was my former county residence. They had one trash service that worked quite well at a reasonable price without an extra charge for yard refuse. They did not however have a recycling program. I would imagine that has changed now. It is my hope that Gwinnett County will be able to do this same thing. I still remain hopeful.
~Regina
Harold Brown
Regina,
When I used the term “kickbacks” I should have realized that it would be subject to misinterpretation. Of course I know of no individual, or group of individuals, who will illegally benefit from this decision. However, some degree of natural suspicion is always in order whenever politicians make far-reaching decisions such as this.
The purpose behind my original post was two-fold.
First, I suggest that lack of competition is hardly good for consumers. We now have choices. Soon we won’t. We will be forced to pay any future rate increases and accept whatever level of service is provided without recourse because the County has removed free and healthy competition from the marketplace. Once again, how does government creation of a monopoly benefit us?
Second, what does the County gain from all of this? If nothing, why go through the bother? Will any more of our money, than is currently the case, end up in County coffers? If so, this is the “kickback” I was referring to. If the chosen TWO will be subject to increased licensing fees, disposal fees, transfer fees, etc., and this extra money ends up in County hands, then we’ve just been fleeced. Follow the money if you really want to know what’s going on, or so the saying goes.
Time will tell if this decision was good for the majority of us. Right now, I have serious doubts.
James Allen
Gwinnett County should credit my account or reimburse the $23.50 deactivation fee that it now says is legal for Waste Management to charge us for something that we had no control over.
Harold Brown
Latest headline on Drudge Report:
“Georgia County Imposes $500 Fine On Residents For Not Recycling”
Guess what county he’s talking about. You’re right, Gwinnett County!
Now that we’re being supplied with a separate container for recyclables, local officials can look inside to see if we separate our trash according to their standards and fine us if we don’t.
Some of you may recall having your homes visited by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department officers earlier this year. The purpose of their visit was to check on the condition of our homes and property. They issued “citations” for such things as trash in the yard, house needs painting, siding needs repair, etc. I guess they’ll be assigned to inspect our recyclable containers now. After all, the issuance of a citation and the levying of a $500 fine is a legal matter. Fortunately, our police officers don’t have any criminals to worry about so code enforcement can help fill their quiet hours.
As the old saying goes, “Once the camel gets his head inside the tent, the rest isn’t far behind”. What’s next from our elected officials, mandatory lawn mowing schedules? How about, maximum flushes allowed per day? The list of possibilities is endless.
Just remember, in order for government to gain power over your life, you must first allow them to take away your freedom.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not pleased with the direction Gwinnett County is headed.