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FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -10- January 26, 2005 Organized Refuse Collection (continued) Council member Talbot said he learned that in a representative democracy, the role of the elected official is to act on behalf of the many despite the wishes of the individual, if and when a problem or situation arises that is clear, compelling and over arching. Snow removal is a good example of this. When a foot and a half of snow hits the streets of Falcon Heights, the City is paralyzed. We're going nowhere. Emergency vehicles can't get to our houses and we can't get to our places of business. The solution to the problem is to remove the snow now, not later. There is no other consideration to be brought up. The problem is clear, the solution is compelling, and because of the nature of the problem and its solution, clear and compelling, it becomes over arching. That is not the time to be discussing whether or not we use propane powered trucks to remove snow, or anything else, or the lowest price involved. The snow has to go now. Your City Council has taken upon itself to remove, from you, the individual's choice of contracting with a guy with a truck and a plow to remove the snow on your section of the street. City government does this many times, but it's by group consensus that the City Council does this. It is not at the will or whim of the Council. It is clear, compelling and over arching. Immunizations are another example of that. If you choose to send your child to school, your • child will be vaccinated. That could be a pretty deeply personal choice but it has been decided that the clear, compelling nature of the problem of having 30 children that are unvaccinated against crippling diseases is not acceptable should one kid walk in with polio. When it comes to trash collection, to organize or not organize, the problem and the solution do not rise to the level of meeting the litmus test for government involvement. His choices tonight are going to be limited to a yes or a no. Depending upon the option proposed tonight, he will do what he was elected to do and vote to not change the system we have because the problem does not rise to the level of government involvement. It is still the mission of the Solid Waste Commission to go forward and educate all of us about making trash. The trash haulers aren't the bad guys here. We are the ones who are making the trash and we can vote at the grocery store or the hardware store, wherever we can. He gave an example of recently purchasing a pair of scissors in hard plastic shell wrap and needing scissors to get the packaging open. When he purchased it he told the cashier that he didn't appreciate the packaging and asked him to pass it along. He is voting at the cash register about the kinds of products he buys and how much trash he is generating. He said that one last thing he wanted to say was to ask the audience to not become cynical about their local government. People have written him, saying they have lived in Falcon Heights all of their lives and are sad to be writing him. Then they have told him to keep his nose out of their business. He has had people write, email and call him, and he has corresponded with every one of them. •