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FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES March 24, 2004 -g- Refuse Collection -Public Hearin on Resolution of Intent (continued) Mr. Carnival said that, in his opinion, this is a solution in search of a problem. There is no public health concern that he is aware of. It's not like waste has been accumulating in the community causing health problems. The environmental issues are not there. Allusions have been made. These haulers have negotiated contracts with Ramsey and Washington counties to bring as much waste as they can handle to the processing facility in Newport. Newport can't take any more waste from them. They have given them everything they need. Any waste that doesn't go to Newport because they can't handle it goes to Federally certified facilities that meet all environmental regulations imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As you proceed forward with organized collection, you may be inserting the City in the loop of decision making with respect to garbage and if there is any potential liability, you might be involved in that liability. There is no problem with a monopoly because there are five haulers here. Individual households can choose who their hauler is. They can negotiate the best price, the best service and what their needs are. Most importantly, they can change haulers if they aren't satisfied with the service they are receiving. The haulers want to compete and prove they are worthy of business. These haulers seldom get together and agree on much. They compete on the street everyday and that is what they want. They want to prove to the citizens that they are worthy of their business. The only time they get together is when they come together to oppose something like this, which is essentially the City's decision to take over this business and become a contractor on behalf of the citizens, rather than letting the citizens make those decisions. If you make the decision to proceed to organized collection, you are telling the citizens of Falcon Heights that you know more about this than they do, that they don't know how to make their own individual decisions, and it may have substantial repercussions in this community and for the citizens of this community. You will hear from some of the refuse haulers. 150 cards have been returned to one hauler from people who want to continue to have choice. You will have an impact on the businesses that may not win this contract. They want to have satisfied customers because it is better for them and for you to have people competing individually at your households than competing every five years for the City contract. Your colleagues in Lauderdale are considering this. 75 people showed up in Lauderdale to oppose organized collection and yet the City Council decided to proceed forward with another step in that process, saying they are pretty far down the line. If you proceed forward you will find yourselves in the same position later. We urge you to keep the current system, letting individuals make their own choices. Kenneth DuFresne, a representative for Walters Recycling and Refuse, Inc., said that Walters has been in business since the 1950's and is a second generation company. He said he was going to talk from the heart. The family has built their business by providing a niche service because they can't compete with the big boys on price. They can compete in an open market. Call and you get a live person on the phone. With the big contracts, they can't compete. If they get the contract, resources will be stretched to such a point they will be encouraged to fold up.