CCAgenda_05Feb9 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES _9_ January 26, 2005 Organized Refuse Collection (continued) Council member Lindstrom reiterated that the haulers have agreed to abide by a Memorandum of Understanding that includes each one of the items he outlined. He said a good question is "How would this be enforced?" A Memorandum of Understanding is not a contract. There would be no time or expense spent battling in a courtroom. The answer is that the City Council has the power of the bully pulpit. If Walters, BFI or Waste Management is making right turns into the alleys, running over curbs and running over a homeowner's tulips, the City Council is going to hear about it! And, Walters, BFI or Waste Management is going to hear about it when the City Council tells the residents and the public on cable TV that specific haulers have broken their word to the residents of Falcon Heights. Any business, small or large, knows that word of mouth is the most effective way to gain or lose customers. They don't want to put that in jeopardy. The haulers also know that the City can, at any point in the future, raise the issue of organized collection. • He is against organized collection, and clearly the majority of residents are against organized collection. But, ten years from now, and the level of service that the City now enjoys slips, perhaps the tides will change. The haulers don't want to risk that. They want to win customers one at a time and keep customers by providing great service to everyone. His proposal tonight is to make modest but real change that will reduce wear and tear, improve customer service, promote environmentally-friendly action and help educate residents on solid waste issues, while, above all else, maintaining the individual's ability to choose the hauler who best meets their needs. Council member Talbot said that Council members have not talked to one another about this issue, so what is new to the audience is new to him. He thanked Council member Lindstrom for his well thought out presentation. He said this has been over half a year in the making and there are a lot of people to be thanked. He appreciated that they are being mentioned. They have all given generously of their time, talent and industry in this information gathering process. From the very beginning the City Council sought nothing more than to gather information. It is unfortunate that by State statute the language is so construed that it could be taken, easily, to mean that your City Council has an intent to organize. That is the language of the statute and it is there because people need to be protected when something like this happens. Council member Lamb said it best in the very beginning when he said, "We know what we have but we don't know what we don't have", so we proceeded to gather information. All along the process many of you became saddened, angry or cynical and said "The fix was in", etc. That was never true. We were only looking for information. He did some studying on this issue and spoke with former and current elected officials from Falcon Heights and other cities to find out what he needed to know if it was his place to act. -o