Re: Toledo's proposed version of “Musical Chairs” Garbage Collection...
Today's Toledo Blade reveals the City's hilariously puzzling story of a “Musical Chairs” version of garbage collection in the story entitled: “Toledo council may rotate trash pickup over holiday weeks,” but which raises several questions without providing any meaningful clarifications or answers.
So, let's dig right in...
Re: The “City” Holidays, it's true that most City bargaining units have 13 Holidays (mostly in lieu of monetary raises, from past contract negotiations), but the Solid Waste employees are members of Teamster's Local # 20 and they have 6 (non-working) or Major Holidays and some number of working (or, minor) Holidays.
Which brings up some questions:
Will this game of musical chair garbage pickup (and recycling) be on the Local #20's contracted Holiday schedule or the Holiday schedule of the rest of the City, i.e., 13 vs. 6 musical chair moments/movements?
Will the Teamsters at Solid Waste (and recycling) now follow the rest of the city in getting the 13 City Holidays?
Re: The 4 new proposed "furlough" days, if these are indeed forced/implemented, does that mean that the Thanksgiving week, garbage pickup will be musical chaired three days at once?
What about CHRISTmas week and the week of new years? That would be another 3-day bump in the schedule within two weeks?
Will there be reminders in the newspapers and on the radio stations?
How about publishing and handing out color-coded calendars/schedules?
Comment:
All things considered, His Dishonor (Carleton S*** for Brains FINKbeiner will probably exert his overbearing executive, strong (smelling) authority and execute his world renowned ReadyFireAim judgment by issuing a decree rather than do as a prudent and thoughtful leader would and consult with and negotiate an agreement with the union(s) affected in advance, like a sane person.
Prediction:
During the massive confusion to follow, a special “garbage run” or three will be made to duh mayors residence to pick up the garbage that he puts out on the wrong days...
This courtesy, BTW, will not be similarly extended to the rest of us similarly confused taxpayers, by virtue of us not being considered to be amongst Toledo's elite; the Nobility/Royalty.
The unwashed masses (and the payers of the bills) are again slighted.
A closing question:
Will ALL of this allegedly “saved” money go to offset deficits in the general fund, or has duh mayor got some “special purpose” in mind for any/all of the saved dollars?
As I recall, he's mighty fond of bike paths, flowers and signage with HIS name on it. . .
In the mean time, I can't wait to see just how much havoc, grief, wailing and gnashing of teeth this this cock-a-mammy brain fart of a scheme wreaks.
But, it has been awhile since our “beloved” mayor has made a fool of himself nationwide, he' about due again...
12 comments:
OK, don't blame me if I am Garbage Day Challenged!Speaking of garbage, it's a load of stink the rules for when to put it curbside!
What a bunch of BS!
Horsefeathers, I say.
Hockeypucks!
Judy,
Maybe we should have color coded garbage cans and announce the collection color of the day over loudspeakers.
They could also be used 5 times a day to...
;-)
Roland,
Are you talking about my questions or of the planned fiasco?
Just wondering ;-)
Ya call that a plan?
Fiasco, si; questions, no.
HT,
I lived under this program for years in Columbus, and have to tell you that it sounds more complicated than it is. Notification is always on the news and in the paper. People do forget and grumble, but life does go on.
When our trash was picked up by city workers, the schedule was very much a game of musical chairs. Two years ago we contracted the whole trash and recycling business out to the private sector. Now there are just 3 holidays where trash pick up is delayed to the following day (M-F). so, some days they have to pull double duty in order to keep everyone else on schedule. Yet another argument for contracting some services out
Roland,
Thanks for clearing that up for me ;-)
Tim,
You may be right..., but we don't even know the scope of what duh mayor's proposing; the 6 major holidays, the 13 (Other City Departments) Holiday schedule, and what about those “proposed” 4 extra “fudge-it” holidays?
So, which is it to be, 6, 10, 13, or 17 holiday “musical chair” days to skip? You hafta wonder. . .
L0C0loco,
It is my contention that duh mayor has exactly (privatization) that in mind.
That said, I question whether or not we will actually receive rebates of the taxes from all of the times that we've been told that the taxes and subsequent extra taxes were to go to solid waste costs. By my count, there are at least three garbage assessments on our backs now and one (or, is it two) recycling taxes/fees.
Before we made the switch to private trash collection, our city had the highest rate of recycling (lbs/household/week) in the state. The opponents of privatization said our recycling rate would drop due to the fact that we would be moving from a pay as you throw system ($4/bag) to a bulk trash system. The city listened and the private system is also a pay as you throw system. Two different sized trash bins with different per month costs plus the ability to add bags at $4 a pop. We have the smallest trash bin and our recycling has never been higher. Oh, our recycling is free here and they take just about everything - unsorted.
L0C0loco,
Unfortunately, we (Toledo) doesn't have its act anywhere near together as that.
Even with an escalating fee charged for NOT recycling, many would rather pay the fees than recycle. Of course, all that you have to do to avoid the fee is to promise to recycle, but everybody knows that nobody's checking, and that, I believe, makes the difference.
Now, if they were to check and prosecute the perps for tax evasion, compliance/participation just might go up.
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