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EVENING.UH, IT'S A FIVE 30 AND I CALL THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO ORDER.
MY NAME IS STEVE MART AND I'VE BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE HEARING OFF OFFICER BY THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN TWO PARTS.
THE FIRST WILL BE A REQUEST TO MODIFY THE RESIDENTIAL REFUSE AND RECYCLABLE REMOVAL RATES FILED WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR BY GFL EVERGLADES, HOLDING LLC, ALSO KNOWN AS GFL, AND, UH, FILING MADE BY WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ILLINOIS INC.
ALSO KNOWN AS WASTE MANAGEMENT.
I'VE BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE HEARING OFFICER, AND THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS FIRST HEARING IS SOLELY THE RATE REQUEST FILED.
AFTER BOTH REQUESTERS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR TESTIMONY, THE CITY WILL THEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND, AND THEN THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
AGAIN, THIS HEARING IS ONLY ON THE REQUEST TO MODIFY RIGHTS.
ANY CHANGES TO CHAPTER 56 REQUIRE ACTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AT WHICH TIME YOU MAY AGAIN APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL, IF YOU WISH.
THE SECOND PART OF THE MEETING THIS EVENING WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE CITY OF DECATUR AND WILL CONSIST OF A PRESENTATION OF NON RATE PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 56.
ONCE THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, LICENSED HAULERS MAY MAKE COMMENTS.
THEN THE PUBLIC, AGAIN WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 56.
ANY CHANGES TO 56, CHAPTER 56 REQUIRE THE ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT WHICH TIME YOU MAY AGAIN APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL, IF YOU WISH.
I WILL NOW CALL THE HEARING ON THE REQUEST TO MODIFY RESIDENTIAL RATES AND RECYCLABLE REMOVAL RATES, UM, TO ORDER, I'VE RECEIVED WRITTEN REQUESTS FILED BY GFL EVERGLADES HOLDING LLC AND WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ILLINOIS INC.
THE NOTICE OF THE HEARING WAS PRINTED IN THE DECATUR HERALD AND REVIEW ON OCTOBER 17TH OF THIS YEAR, SPECIFYING THE DATE AND TIME OF THIS HEARING, AS WELL AS THE REQUEST AS EVIDENCED BY A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 56 OF THE CITY CODE.
THIS NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED NOT LESS THAN 15, NOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO TODAY'S HEARING.
AS THE HEARING OFFICER ACCORDING TO CHAPTER 56, I WILL ASK THE GFL AND THEN WASTE MANAGEMENT TO PRESENT THEIR TESTIMONY AND THEN ASK THE CITY TO RESPOND.
I WILL THEN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS FOLLOWING THE HEARING.
I WILL FILE WITH THE CITY CLERK A WRITTEN REPORT OF MY RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE REQUESTS THE COUNCIL MAY APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MODIFY SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ACTION TAKEN WITHIN 45 DAYS AFTER THE FILING.
SHOULD THE COUNSEL NOT SO ACT WITHIN 45 DAYS, THE RECOMMENDATION SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED, AND THE RECOMMENDED RATES SHALL BECOME THE NEW AUTHORIZED MAXIMUM RATES.
COUNSEL MAY INITIATE ESTABLISHMENT OR MODIFICATION, OR OF RATES IN SUCH OTHER MANNER AS IT MAY SELECT AND ACCEPT UPON INITIATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
APPLICATION FOR MODIFICATION OF ESTABLISHED RATES SHALL NOT BE MADE MORE THAN ONCE DURING A LICENSED TERM.
AT THE CLOSE OF THIS HEARING, I'LL TURN THE MEETING OVER TO THE CITY TO CONDUCT A DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 56.
TESTIMONY RECEIVED AT TODAY'S HEARING WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR MY REPORT.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO TESTIFY, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE, THE PODIUM IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM.
THESE PROCEEDINGS ARE BEING RECORDED, AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, AND IF YOU REPRESENT A PARTY OR A CORPORATION OR LLC OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, PLEASE STATE WHO YOU REPRESENT.
UM, JUST SO WE HAVE AN ORDER OF PROCEDURE, I'LL FIRST CALL FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF GFL AND THEN FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND THEN A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND A REPRESENTATIVE FOR GFL COME FORWARD.
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AND I'M THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS MANAGER FOR GFL, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR ILLINOIS OPERATIONS.WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS PRICE INCREASE OR FEE INCREASE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
PRIMARILY THE ONE THAT MOST FOLKS WOULD BE AWARE OF IS THE SIMPLE, UH, UH, COST OF INFLATION AND WHAT OUR INDUSTRY AND OUR COUNTRY HAS SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, WHILE YOU MAY HAVE SEEN EIGHT OR 9% INFLATION IN YOUR HOME, OUR INDUSTRY HAS SEEN 22 TO 24% INFLATION WITH THE COST OF DIESEL FUEL GOING UP, ALL THE, UH, LUBRICANTS AND, UH, MANY OF THE COMPONENTS GOING INTO A GARBAGE TRUCK HAVE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASING THE COST OF A NEW GARBAGE TRUCK.
UH, WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH ON BEING ACDL LICENSED DRIVER, YOU KNOW THERE'S A NEED FOR THEM, AND YOU CAN FIND A JOB ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO WE'RE PAYING MORE TO GET PEOPLE TO STAY WITH US, AND, AND, AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH MORE, MORE OF A WORKFORCE BECAUSE WE'RE NOW HIRING MORE THAN EVER BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T STICK IN THIS KIND OF WORK, UH, AS LONG AS THEY USED TO.
WE USED TO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD STAY FOR 10, 15, 20 YEARS, AND NOW WE, WE HAVE AN AVERAGE WORKFORCE SOMETIMES OF ONLY FOUR YEARS OF TIME WITH US.
AND SO THERE'S MORE MONEY LOOKING FOR THE DRIVERS, KEEPING THE DRIVERS, AND FINDING THE DRIVERS.
SINCE THE ADVENT OF C-O-V-I-D, MORE GARBAGES COMING OUT OF YOUR HOME, PEOPLE ARE WORKING FROM HOME, STAYING FROM HOME, SHOPPING FROM HOME, THAT'S PRODUCING MORE WASTE AT YOUR HOUSE.
IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT IT'S, IT'S VERY REAL AND IT'S PART OF, UH, THE COST OF PICKING UP TRASH AT YOUR HOME.
UH, THE TIMING OF WHY WE'RE HERE, WE'VE BEEN ASKING AND WORKING WITH THE CITY FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, 'CAUSE THAT WAS, UH, I THINK A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO IS WHEN THE PRICE IN STRUCTURE THAT WAS IN CHAPTER 6 56, UH, DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY MORE INCREASES.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN LOBBYING DURING THIS TIME AND, AND, AND DURING THIS TIME, WE, WE'VE HAD OUR OWN SERVICE ISSUES.
WE KNOW THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
AND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID, UNTIL YOU ALL GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVEN APPROACH THIS SUBJECT.
WE THINK WE'VE KIND OF EVENED OUT SOME OF THE HICCUPS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAD A NEW PERSON IN PLACE WHO'S IN THE ROOM TODAY.
CRAIG CARTER, WHOSE FAMILY PICKED UP GARBAGE HERE.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE CITY.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE CITY RECENTLY.
AND WITH THE CITY MANAGER MOVING FORWARD, I'M ASSUMING WE ARE DOING A, A BETTER JOB OF WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN DOING ALL ALONG.
BUT WE'VE HAD SOME HICCUPS, LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT'S GONE THROUGH THESE TOUGH COUPLE OF TIME, TOUGH COUPLE OF YEARS.
THERE HAVE HAVE BEEN ISSUES THAT WE'VE ADJUSTED TO AND WE'RE WORKING ON, AND WE THINK WE HAVE IMPROVED.
AND THAT'S, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHY THE TIMING IS THAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
AND SO OUR, OUR BASIC FEE WE'RE ASKING FOR TO GO FROM 1950 A MONTH TO 2350 A MONTH.
WE DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THE LANGUAGE IN CHAPTER 56, BUT THE FACT IS, IT WOULD BE HAVE OUR COMPANIES TAKING OVER THE, THE CART PROGRAM.
THE COST OF CARTS HAVE GONE UP SUB SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND SO ALL THESE INCREASES WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO RECOUP AND, AND TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, THE SERVICE THAT THE FOLKS INDICATOR DESERVE.
REPRESENTATIVE FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT.
I'M THE MUNICIPAL MARKETING MANAGER FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UH, THE HISTORICALS FOR THIS, UM, FOR THIS REQUEST COME TO THE FACT THAT THE CURRENT AND THE NOW ACTUALLY EXPIRED, BUT STILL CURRENT ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED IN JULY OF 2018.
THOSE RATES WERE PUT INTO EFFECT AT JULY OF 2018.
THEY DID GRANT, UM, INCREASES 50 CENTS A YEAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THESE COSTS HAVE GONE, PARTICULARLY SINCE JULY OF 2018, JULY OF 2018, A GALLON OF DIESEL FUEL COST $2 AND 23 CENTS.
UH, TODAY'S PRICE, UH, AS IT WAS JUST RELEASED FROM THE, UH, THE FEDERAL SURVEY IS $4 AND 50 45 CENTS.
WAGES HAVE GONE ASTRONOMICAL BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF HOLDING ONTO QUALIFIED DRIVERS.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER RECENTLY IN THE PRESS, THE UPS STRIKE AND THE UPS SETTLEMENT MENTIONED FREQUENTLY THAT, UH, THE UPS DRIVERS WITH A FULL BENEFITS PACKAGE COULD EXPECT TO ENJOY $170,000 A YEARS OF INCOME.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT EARNED, BUT IT IS REMARKABLE.
OUR VEHICLE COSTS AS THE CITY WELL KNOWS, BECAUSE WE USE, UH, CLASS EIGHT DIESEL VEHICLES, WHICH ARE THE SAME BASICS, UH, AS A FIRE TRUCK ENGINE, A FIRE ENGINE,
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UH, THOSE HAVE GONE UP NEARLY 33% FROM LESS THAN 300,000 TO KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF 400,000.THE, THE RATE WE PAY FOR PROCESSING THE RECYCLABLES, UH, IN 2018, WE WERE MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE FROM THAT, AND NOW WE'RE PAYING DEARLY FOR THAT.
UH, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO PROCESS AND DISPOSE OF A TON OF RECYCLABLES THAN IT IS FOR A TON OF SOLID WASTE.
UM, WE, THE NEW PROMULGATED RULES, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS LATER, TAKE THE RATE UP, INCLUDING IN THE RATE, WILL BE A, A CART FOR YOUR SOLID WASTE, AND WHICH IS NOW AN OPTIONAL AND WILL BE A, A REQUIRED A REQUIREMENT FOR CITY SERVICE, WHICH IS EXCELLENT.
UH, IT'S A MUCH CLEANER CITY AND IT'S A MUCH MORE UNIFORM APPEARANCE BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE, THAT I'VE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF THE FUEL, WAGES, BENEFITS VEHICLES, WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT A 30 TO 40% INCREASE.
UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE SAME $23 AND 50 CENTS.
AND IF YOU TAKE THE BASIC $19 THAT ARE BEING CHARGED RIGHT NOW AS THE MAXIMUM RATE WITHIN THE ORDINANCE AND ADD THE $4 FEE FOR A CART, WHICH WILL NOW BE A REQUIREMENT, THAT'S $23.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A RATE INCREASE OF 50 CENTS, THE REST OF THE INCREASE, AND IT, WE COULD NOT ACTUALLY MAKE A SUSTAINABLE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT WITHOUT THE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE SUGGESTED FOR THE PROMULGATED RULES.
AND CHAPTER 56, WE'LL GET INTO THOSE, BUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE SAME 2350 AFTER TWO YEARS OF DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY ON THIS.
AND IT'S BASED ON EVERYBODY HAVING THE SAME UNIFORM SERVICE, EVERYBODY HAVING A CART AND CHANGES IN, IN CHAPTER 56, WHICH WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR US TO, TO WORK.
SO WE ARE GLAD TO BE IN THE AREA.
WE'RE SERVICING SOME 18 TO 20,000 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE, UH, PROUD OF THE EFFORT THAT WE PUT INTO IT, AND IT'S, ERIC HAS MENTIONED IT WAS, UH, A DEVIL'S TWO YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT 'CAUSE OF COVID AND COVID AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SERVICE TO PROVIDE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE RATE RELIEF, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO US OR OFFERED TO ALL THE HAULERS IN 2020.
SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION FROM THE CITY.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE CITIZENRY.
YOU SAID THAT, UH, IN 2018, YOU ACTUALLY MADE MONEY ON RECYCLING.
AND FOR THE, THE VALUE OF THE COMMODITIES THAT WERE COLLECTED.
AND TODAY, YOU ACTUALLY PAY TO RECYCLE.
WE PAY CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN WE DO TO DISPOSE OF SOLID WASTE.
UM, AND THAT'S, IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR WELL OVER A YEAR, AND WE DON'T SEE ANY SIGN OF THAT TURNING AROUND.
IT'S FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY TO RESPOND TO THE REQUEST FOR, UH, RATE INCREASES AS PRESENTED BY THE WASTE HAULERS, MR. MART.
UH, MY NAME IS SCOTT WRIGHTON.
I SERVE AS THE CITY MANAGER OF DECATUR.
AND IN THAT CAPACITY, I WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE REQUESTS FOR BOTH FROM GFL AND FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO FOR CHANGES IN THEIR RATES.
UM, AND, UH, I WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD A LITTLE BIT WHILE, UM, BOTH THE REPRESENTATIVE OF GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT HAVE RECOMMENDED THE 2350, THAT WAS NOT THEIR ORIGINAL REQUEST, AND YOU MAY HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, UH, WE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED OF DISCUSSION WITH BOTH GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT.
IT IS AN ACCURATE CHARACTERIZATION TO SAY THAT, UH, DURING MUCH OF THAT TIME, THERE WERE SERIOUS SERVICE PROBLEMS WITH BOTH OF THE HAULERS INDICATOR.
UM, THE SOURCE OF THOSE PROBLEMS IS, UH, IS, IS NOT A SINGLE REASON.
UH, UH, TWO OF THE MAIN REASONS ARE THAT BOTH OF THE HAULERS HAD SIGNIFICANT, UH, PERSONNEL CHANGEOVERS, AND THERE WAS ALSO MERGERS.
UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT ACQUIRED, UM, UH, A HAULER THAT ACTUALLY HAD LARGER TERRITORY INDICATOR THAN THEY DID GFL ACQUIRED A HAULER.
UH, AND SO THERE WAS DISRUPTION, UH, IN THE SERVICE AREAS CREATED BY THOSE ACQUISITIONS, UH, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER IN THEIR PERSONNEL.
THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS CREATED BY PANDEMIC AND, AND OTHER SOURCES AND OTHER REASONS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH COMPANIES.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THOUGH THAT HAD BEEN A PROBLEM EVEN BEFORE, UH, THEIR REQUEST FOR RATE HIKE IS THAT, UM, SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN ARTICLE 56 WASN'T AS CLEAR AS IT COULD BE, AND FACING SOME OF THE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAD,
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THEY STARTED ADDING EXTRA CHARGES, SOME OF WHICH WERE ALLOWED UNDER THE CODE, SOME OF WHICH WERE NOT.UM, UH, AND, UH, THERE WAS CONFUSION OVER EVERYTHING FROM BULKY WASTE TO, UM, UH, TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A CART RENTAL CHARGE OR NOT.
AND SOME HAD IT AND SOME DIDN'T.
AND SO IT'S PROBABLY ACCURATE AS ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, HERE JUST A MINUTE AGO SAID THAT WE, THE CITY WANTED THEM TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER BEFORE WE, WE PROCEEDED FURTHER.
AND I CAN ATTEST THAT THE NATURE OF GARBAGE IS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS COMPLAINTS, UH, AND, UH, WE'RE CERTAINLY TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE ORDINANCE THAT'LL BE DISCUSSED IN THE LATTER PART OF THE HEARING THAT WILL CORRECT SOME OF THOSE.
BUT WITH REGARD TO THE, TO THE, TO THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, THE, UM, UH, THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HAS, HAS DECREASED, UH, BUT TECHNICALLY THE CITY OF DECATUR DOES NOT AGREE WITH, UH, GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT'S ORIGINAL REQUESTS.
AND SO LET ME, UH, SUBMIT, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS IDENTIFIED AS CHAPTER 56, GARBAGE AND RECYCLING APPENDIX A, MEANING IT'S AN APPENDIX TWO, CHAPTER 56, A DRAFT.
THAT IS, UM, THAT REFLECTS SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, WITH THE WASTE HAULERS.
UH, IT IS, UH, SO IN YOUR CAPACITY, MR. MARZ, AS THE HEARING EXAMINER, YOU'RE GONNA BE EVALUATING THEIR REQUESTS, UH, AND MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION, THOSE STILL A DRAFT, WOULD BE RELEVANT, UH, TO YOUR DELIBERATIONS ON THAT.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE, UM, UH, BECAUSE IT TOUCHES ON, ON, ON MANY OF THE SAME, ON THE SAME POINTS, THE CITY, UH, DOESN'T DISAGREE THAT THERE HAVE, BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CHANGE IN THE RATES SINCE, UH, JULY OF 2021, WHICH WOULD'VE EXPIRED IN JULY OF 2022.
UH, AND, AND BECAUSE OF THESE OTHER FEATURES OF THE, OF THE MARKET, THERE HAS TO BE SOME INCREASE.
BUT WE DID NOT AGREE WITH THE INCREASE THAT THEY ORIGINALLY REQUESTED.
UH, A KEY FEATURE, AND MRS. SHAB ALLUDED TO THIS, UH, IS THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT I JUST GAVE YOU IS PREDICATED ON THE NOTION AND SUPPORTED BY ADDITION BY NEW LANGUAGE IN CHAPTER 56 THAT THERE WILL BE NO TOTE CHARGES, THAT IT IS INCORPORATED IN THE FEE, UH, AND IF, UH, A TOTE IS, OR, OR CONTAINER OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, IS, UM, IS DAMAGED OR REPLACED OR HAS TO BE REPLACED OR IS LOST, UH, THAT'S ON THE HAULER TO DO THAT AT THE, AT THE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST, AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
SO AS, AS THEY HAVE, UH, MENTIONED IT, IS IT THEY HAVE, WE HAVE REQUIRED THEM TO BUILD IT INTO THE CHARGE.
SO IN, IN SOME CASES, I MEAN, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING AN EXTRA CART CHARGE, UH, THAT WOULD, HAS THE POTENTIAL OF EITHER KEEPING LEVEL OR NEARLY LEVEL OR REDUCING WHAT THEIR TOTAL COST MIGHT BE.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS I HAVE ON THE RATES, AND I'LL RESERVE THE REST OF MY COMMENTS ON THE NON RATE SECTIONS FOR LATER IN THE EVENING.
I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THE DRAFT.
I SEE, UH, BASIC RESIDENTIAL SERVICE IS THE SAME 2350 THAT THE TWO HAULERS, UH, UH, HAVE, UH, INDICATED THAT, UH, THEY'RE REQUESTING THIS EVENING.
IS THERE, UH, WAS THERE DISCUSSION WITH, WITH THE HAULERS WITH REGARD TO THE OTHER CHARGES AND THE ANNUAL INCREASES? THERE WERE, UH, DISCUSSIONS ON ALL OF THOSE.
UM, THE, UM, ONE OF THE HAULERS WANTED, UH, A RATE OF ANNUAL INCREASE THAT EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT THAT IS HERE.
UM, AND, UH, WE FELT THAT THIS IS A 4% INCREASE IN YEARS.
UH, ONE OF THE HAULERS WANTED MORE THAN THAT.
WE FELT LIKE THE, THE BASE INFLATION RATE BASED ON THE FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DOESN'T WARRANT ANYTHING MORE THAN FOUR.
UM, AND, UH, THE, UM, UH, BUT, BUT, BUT ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE, UH, DRAFTS DO REFLECT OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND, AND HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THEM WELL AHEAD OF THE NOTICE THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS HEARING.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? IT DOES.
UM, DID YOU RECEIVE ANY INDICATION FROM THE HAULERS AS TO THE ANNUAL INCREASE, WHETHER THEY WERE WILLING OR WHETHER THEY AGREED TO THAT? BECAUSE, UH, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY TESTIMONY FROM THE HAULERS ABOUT THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE HAULERS, UH, ON CONSIDERATION DECIDED THAT THAT ADJUSTMENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IN THE OUT YEARS THEY COULD LIVE WITH, AND THE OTHER ONE, UH, STILL OPPOSED THE INCREASE.
I ASSUME THAT WOULD BE IN THE ORIGINAL FILING THEN, WITH REGARD TO THE ANNUAL INCREASE? I BELIEVE THAT YOU'LL FIND IT IN THE ORIGINAL, IN, IN, IN THEIR FILING, YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE HAULERS, UH, SINCE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DRAFT, UH, TO, UH, OPEN IT UP TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR RESPONSES IN, IN REGARDS TO THE ANNUAL INCREASE.
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GFL IS GOOD WITH THE ANNUAL INCREASE AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.OUR ORIGINAL CON UH, CONFLICT IN TERMS OF THE YEAR TO YEAR INCREASES WAS BASED ON, UH, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR GARBAGE AND WA AND SOLID WASTE COLLECTION.
UM, THAT HAS AVERAGED OVER THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, ROUGHLY 4% MORE THAN 4% A YEAR.
THAT SAME CPI INDEX IS NOW AT 4.9% FOR THE SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
BASED ON THOSE, AND BASED ON WHAT WE SEE FOR, UM, WAGE INCREASES IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS, UH, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THE 4% WILL COVER IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS ARRIVE AT A RATE THAT ALLOWS US A SUSTAINABLE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENTS, WHICH ARE CONSIDERABLE.
UH, THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR GARBAGE AND TRASH COLLECTION.
UH, THE MOST CURRENT NUMBERS ON THAT SHOW THAT, UH, THAT HAS GONE UP 27% AND THE TERM OF THE CURRENT ORDINANCE TO, TO DATE IN 2022, IT ROSE 5%.
AND FOR THE YEAR 2023 ONLY GO ONLY THROUGH NINE REPORTING MONTHS, IT'S ALREADY UP 4.9%.
SO THAT WAS THE BASIS OF US REQUESTING 5% VERSUS 4%, HONESTLY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS SO LONG AND HAVE WAITED FOR SO LONG FOR RELIEF, WE'LL ACCEPT THE 4% WITH THE PROVISION THAT, UH, IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG SOMEWHERE, IF WE SEE UNEXPECTED, UH, INCREASES IN OTHER COSTS OF DOING THE BUSINESS BESIDES WAGE, WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, THROUGH THE TERMS OF CHAPTER, THE CURRENT AND THE AMENDED CHAPTER 56, COME BACK AND BRING ANOTHER PETITION IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL FOR RATE RELIEF.
ALRIGHT, THANK IN IN TERMS OF WHERE OUR FIVE CAME FROM.
OUR FIVE CAME FROM CURRENT DOCUMENTATION AND CURRENT EXPERIENCE.
I'LL NOW OPEN THIS UP TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR SIGN IN OR ORDER, SO IF WE CAN, UH, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COMMENT, JUST SIMPLY RAISE YOUR HAND AND I'LL, I'LL POINT YOU OUT AND YOU CAN COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE YOU A COMMENT.
AND IF SOMEONE HAS ALREADY, UH, YOU KNOW, COVERED THE POINTS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE, THERE'S NO NEED, NO NEED TO, TO COMMENT, UH, THOSE WILL BE IN THE RECORD.
UH, SO WE DON'T WANNA HAVE A LOT OF REDUNDANCY.
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS CONCERNING THE RATES, NOT THE CHANGES TO 56.
UH, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GAS PRICES AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY NEED TO RAISE THE RATES.
WELL, IF THEIR DRIVERS WOULD STOP DRIVING AROUND THE BLOCKS FOUR AND FIVE TIMES, THEY WOULDN'T BE WASTING MUCH GAS.
MM-HMM,
AND I HAVE CAMERAS IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES THAT THEY GO AROUND MY BLOCK.
AND PEOPLE ON DISABILITY DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS INCREASE.
UH, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DECATUR.
WASTE MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN THE WORST GARBAGE HAULER WE HAVE EVER HAD.
UM, NOT THAT THEY'RE HORRIBLE AND THEY NEVER PICK UP THE GARBAGE.
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I'VE HAD TO, UH, GO OUT AND CLEAN UP THE STREET BECAUSE WITH THE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR TRUCK, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE DRIVERS, GREAT FOR THEIR BACKS AND EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN IT SLINGS THE GARBAGE UP OVER THE TOP OF THE TRUCK, IT ENDS UP IN THE STREET.
UM, THE GARBAGE, THE HAULERS MAY BE PICKING UP PART OF IT.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN A BIGGER PILE.
I'VE GOT PICTURES ON MY PHONE.
I DIDN'T GET 'EM PRINTED OFF FOR YOU, BUT I CLEAN UP THE STREET.
THEY ALSO, UH, THIS ALSO IS THE, UM, RECYCLING.
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IT, EVEN WITH THEIR TOTTERS, I'M PICKING UP PAPER IN MY YARD.WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP DECATUR CLEAN.
THE GARBAGE HAULERS AREN'T HELPING US OUT TO THAT EXTENT.
UM, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO FIND GOOD HEALTH THESE DAYS, BUT, UH, JUST THIS WEEK I HAVE ONE CAN ON MY CURB.
I PUT OUT A RECYCLE CAN AND TWO CANS WITH GARBAGE.
ONE OF 'EM STILL SITTING ON THE CURB.
THEY EMPTIED THE ONE GARBAGE CAN.
THEY DID NOT EMPTY THE OTHER LAST WEEK.
THE YARD WASTE SAT THERE FOR TWO DAYS.
MAYBE THEY HAD A TRUCK FAILURE, BUT IN THE PAST, I'VE HAD THEM MISS ME COMPLETELY OR MISS A, CAN I CALL UP THE OFFICE, SIR? WE'LL GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE THIS AFTERNOON, THE NEXT DAY, SIR.
THEY WON'T GET THERE TILL NEXT WEEK.
THIS IS THE KIND OF SERVICE WE'RE GETTING.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEM A RATE INCREASE TO COVER THEIR COSTS, HOW ABOUT PUTTING SOME SORT OF CLAUSE IN THERE TO MAKE THEM, UH, ACCOUNTABLE? BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING LOTS OF COMPLAINTS.
WHY ARE THE COMPLAINTS GOING DOWN? I QUIT COMPLAINING IT WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO DO MUCH GOOD, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO KEEP HAPPENING.
I REALIZE IT COULD BE STAFF, IT COULD BE ALL SORTS OF EXCUSES, BUT IN THE END, IF WE'RE GONNA PAY MORE FOR A PRODUCT, LET'S GET THE PRODUCT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
UM, I WANNA REMIND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THIS HEARING IS IN TWO PARTS.
UH, THIS PART THAT I'M DEALING WITH HAS TO DO WITH THE RATES.
UM, THE PART, THE NEXT PART THAT IS COMING UP HAS TO DO WITH CHAPTER 56 CHANGES, WHICH INCLUDE SERVICE, LEVELS OF SERVICE, MANNER OF SERVICE, METHODS OF SERVICE.
SO IF, IF YOU COULD, UH, UH, RESTRICT YOUR COMMENTS RIGHT NOW TO THE REQUEST FOR RATE INCREASES, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT SERVICE AFFECTS RATES, THAT THEY, THEY KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND, BUT MY JURISDICTION ONLY CONCERNS THE RATES AND THE NEXT PORTION OF THE HEARING CONCERNS THE LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO, UH, COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE SPECIFIC RATE INCREASES, PLEASE.
PARDON ME? MY NAME IS BRANDY BROWN.
I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY.
I OPPOSE, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT HAVING A RATE INCREASE.
INITIALLY WE WERE ON A LOWER RATE BASE AND WE WERE RECEIVING GARBAGE SERVICE TWO WEEKS OUT, TWO DAYS OUT OF EVERY WEEK.
SINCE THEN, OUR GARBAGE HAS, THE RATES HAVE GONE UP FOUR TIMES, AND WE ARE ON ONE DAY A WEEK.
I WILL NOT COMPLAIN ON THE OTHER THINGS AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO NOT THINK, UM, WE ARE ALL LIVING THROUGH THE GAS PRICES AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO RUN A BUSINESS, THOSE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I OPPOSED TO A RATE INCREASE AT THIS TIME.
ANYONE ELSE? YEAH, MY VOICE HAS SOME ISSUES, SO I'LL TRY.
UM, ON THE TOTER THING, A LOT OF LANDLORDS HAVE BOUGHT THEIR OWN TOTERS AT, YOU KNOW, 80 TO A HUNDRED BUCKS A PIECE, BECAUSE AFTER A COUPLE YEARS, YOU GET AHEAD OF THE GAME.
I DON'T SEE INCLUDING THEM IN THE PRICE OF THE GARBAGE SERVICE IS THE RIGHT THING.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPTION TO HAVE OUR OWN TOTER OR NOT, AND HAVE THE FEE GONE.
IF WE'VE ALREADY BOUGHT OURS, A LOT OF US HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS, IF NOT SOME INTO THE THOUSAND IS DOLLARS ON THESE TOTERS.
SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM NOW IF THAT GOES ON? THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COMMENT WITH REGARD TO THE RE REQUEST FOR AN INCREASE IN RATES?
[00:30:05]
OKAY, AS I INDICATED, I WILL REVIEW THE TESTIMONY THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED, THE FILINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, AND THE TESTIMONY THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED THIS EVENING, AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT I'LL FILE WITH THE CITY CLERK.AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE OPTION TO, UH, AGREE, UH, APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MODIFY THAT RECOMMENDATION WITH REGARD TO RATES.
CITY COUNCIL ACTS, UH, IN ITS OWN DISCRETION WITH REGARD TO, UH, OTHER PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 56.
AND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER WILL, UH, UH, I GUESS, UH, HOST THE NEXT PART OF THE HEARING AND RECEIVE COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THOSE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED IN CHAPTER 56.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE TESTIMONY YOU'VE PROVIDED THIS EVENING, AND THAT, UH, ENDS MY PORTION OF THE HEARING.
SO I WILL, UH, NOW CALL TO ORDER THE SECOND PART OF THE HEARING TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE NON RATE PROVISIONS AS MR. MART, UH, APTLY DESCRIBES SOMETIMES THE, THE RATE ISSUES AND THE NON RATE ISSUES SORT OF OVERLAP, UH, BUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 56, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE IN THE INTEREST OF HEARING AS MUCH OF YOUR COMMENTARY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, I'M GONNA DESCRIBE BRIEFLY HOW THE SECOND HALF OF THE HEARING WILL PROCEED.
UH, I'M GONNA GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE NOW, THE, UH, UH, LET ME BACK UP.
THE PROPOSED VERSION, EXCUSE ME.
PROPOSED REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 56 HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR, FOR SOME TIME.
UH, THEY, THEY REMAIN THERE FOR, FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AND REVIEW ALONG WITH THE, UH, THE DOCUMENT ON, ON POTENTIAL RATE CHANGES, WHICH I FILED WITH MR. MART, UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING.
SO I'M GONNA, UH, SUMMARIZE, REALLY, BECAUSE THAT DOCUMENT IS A LITTLE BIT HARD TO READ.
I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE WHAT I THINK ARE THE EIGHT SUBSTANTIVE AND MAJOR PARTS OF THE CHAPTER 56 PROPOSED REVISIONS.
UM, AND THEN, THEN I'M GONNA ASK, UH, FOR COMMENTS ON THEM IF THEY, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE COMMENTS, BUT I WANT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH WASTE MANAGEMENT AND GFL AS WELL AS ANY OTHER HAULERS.
THERE ARE THREE OTHER HAULERS THAT SERVICE THE CITY OF, OF DECATUR, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT MADE RATE REQUESTS, WHICH IS WHY THEY WERE NOT HEARD AT THE FIRST PART OF THE HEARING.
UM, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE THREE SMALLER HAULERS HERE IN, UH, IN DECATUR, THEN WE'LL HAVE A TIME FOR THEM.
SO I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE THESE KEY NON RATE CHANGES AND THEN ASK FOR COMMENTS FROM ALL THREE OF THOSE.
UM, AND THEN ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SORT OF IN FOLLOWING THE SAME FASHION AS THE FIRST PART.
SO THE FIRST, UH, CHANGE IS THAT, UH, EVERYONE WILL HAVE TO HAVE EITHER A 64 GALLON OR A 95 GALLON WHEELED TOTE.
UM, FOR PURPOSES OF, OF COMPARISON AND POINT OF REFERENCE, THE BLUE RECYCLING TOTES THAT HAVE THE CITY OF DECATUR'S LOGO ON IT, THOSE ARE 64 GALLON IN SIZE, UM, BOTH GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT.
AND I BELIEVE SOME OF THE OTHER HAULERS AS WELL HAVE, UH, BOTH THE SMALLER, THE 64 GALLON AS WELL AS THE 95 GALLON WHEELED CARTS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE THE NAMES OF THE PREDECESSOR COMPANIES THAT THEY ABSORBED.
UH, BUT, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE POSSIBILITY OR WHAT SOMEBODY DOES WITH, WITH, IF THEY BOUGHT THEIR OWN TOTE, IS THAT AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE, THE SPECIFICATIONS, THE, EITHER THE 64 GALLON OR THE 95 GALLON TOTE SIZE, UH, REGARDLESS OF, OF WHERE IT CAME FROM OR WHOSE NAME IS ON IT, OR WHAT COLOR IT IS, AS LONG AS IT'S FUNCTIONALLY, UH, MEETING THESE, THESE REQUIREMENTS, IT CAN CONTINUE TO BE USED.
IT SEEMS SILLY TO THE CITY, TO, TO REQUIRE A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE TOTES TO, WITH ALL OF THEM BEING NEW.
FURTHERMORE, IF WE HAD MADE SUCH A REQUIREMENT, IT ONLY WOULD'VE RESULTED IN INCREASING THE COST.
THE RATIONALE FOR EVERYBODY HAVING ONE OF THESE TWO KINDS OF TOTES IS THAT, UH, BECAUSE THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, OF RECEPTACLES, MANY OF THEM SMALLER THAN 64, IT WAS CONTRIBUTING TO THE, OF THE, UM, THE ACCUMULATION AND, AND, AND BLOWING AND, AND, UH, KNOCKING OVER OF TRASH CANS, TRASH CONTAINERS, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY.
AND, UH, IN OUR RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT OTHER CITIES
[00:35:01]
THAT UNIFIED THE TYPES OF TYPE MOST CITIES USE UNIFIED, IT IS ONE TOTE TYPE, UH, THAT SEEMED LIKE TOO MUCH OF A CHANGE HERE IN DECATUR.AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TWO DIFFERENT SIZES, EITHER THE 64 OR THE 95 GALLON TOTE.
ONE OF THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WE MADE IS WITH REGARD TO HARDSHIP CASES, UH, THE ORDINANCE HAS REQUIRED FOR SOME TIME THAT, UH, THERE IS NO EXTRA FEE IF SOMEONE IS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO GET THEIR, UH, TOTE TO THE CURB.
THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT AS CLEAR AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN AND APPEARED BY SOME READINGS TO ONLY LIMIT HARDSHIP COLLECTIONS TO THE GARBAGE AND NOT TO THE RECYCLING.
SO THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN REVISED IN ITS PROPOSED FORM TO REQUIRE THAT WHERE HARDSHIP SERVICES PROVIDED IT IS FOR BOTH GARBAGE AS WELL AS FOR RECYCLING.
THE THIRD CHANGE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HAS TO DO WITH RECYCLING AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE IS, BECAUSE RECYCLING IS SOMETHING WE, WE, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE.
UH, WHILE THERE IS AN EXTRA FEE, IF YOU WANT A SECOND GARBAGE TOTE, UM, THE, UH, UH, THERE IS NOT AN EXTRA FEE IF YOU REQUEST ADDITIONAL RECYCLING TOTES.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE NE THERE ARE, EXCUSE ME, THERE ARE HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THEY ARE SO AGGRESSIVE ABOUT DOING RECYCLING PR, PRACTICING RECYCLING, THAT THE EXISTING TOTE SIZE IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE RECYCLING, AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO MAKE EXTRA RECYCLING CARTS AVAILABLE ON A REQUEST BASIS, OF COURSE, UM, BUT AT NOT, BUT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
THE FOURTH CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH ALLEYS.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF TRASH COLLECTION IS AT THE CURBSIDE NOW, BUT THERE'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1,215 AND 1400 CUSTOMERS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR THAT HAVE THEIR TRASH COLLECTION AT THE ALLEY.
UM, THIS CREATES PROBLEMS BECAUSE GARBAGE TRUCKS DO A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE TO THE CITY'S ALLEYS.
THEY ARE, UH, AMONG THE VEHICLES THAT, THAT TRAVERSE.
BOTH STREETS AND ALLEYS ARE SOME OF THE MOST, UH, DAMAGING BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THE WEIGHT, THEIR BACK AXLE, AND THEY'RE STOPPING AND STARTING ALL THE TIME.
AND IT DOES A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE ALLEYS.
FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE, UH, CERTAINLY THE TWO LARGEST WASTE HAULERS ARE MOVING TO MECHANICAL PICKUP, IT'S HARD TO DO THAT IN THE ALLEYS, GIVEN THE NARROW WIDTH OF MANY OF THE CITY'S ALLEYS.
UH, AND YOU CAN ONLY SERVICE ALLEY PICKUP WITH REAR LOADERS.
AND SO, UH, MOST ALLEY PICKUP IS BEING MOVED TO THE STREET.
NOW, WE IGNORE THAT IN MANY, IN SOME CASES, THE, THE TOPOGRAPHY, THE, THE TERRAIN OF A FRONT YARD MAY BE SUCH THAT IT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THERE TO BE COLLECTION OFF THE STREET.
AND SO THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES THAT WHEN THOSE CASES ARE, ARE IN PLACE, THAT THE, THE HAULER CAN MAKE A DECISION TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ALLEY PICKUP.
BUT MOST ALLEY PICKUP WOULD BE MOVED TO THE STREET.
AND WE PROPOSE TO DO THAT INCREMENTALLY SO THAT NOT ALL OF THE ALLEY PICKUP IS, IS MOVED AT ONE TIME.
THERE'LL BE A SECTION OF THE CITY ONE MONTH AND, AND, AND SO FORTH, UM, OVER A THREE TO FOUR MONTH PERIOD OF TIME.
ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE, UH, HEARD AS WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THIS, AND CERTAINLY IT WAS MENTIONED THIS EVENING, IS THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF DISSATISFACTION, UH, WITH BOTH OF THE HAULERS IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE, MISSED PICKUP, UM, AND OR SLOPPY PICKUP.
AND, AND, UH, SOMETIMES POOR RESPONSE TO, TO CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS MADE.
AND SO, ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ORDINANCE, PROVIDING THAT, UH, THE CITY HAS ADDITIONAL POWERS TO REVOKE OR REASSIGN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS IF THERE IS A PATTERN OF POOR BEHAVIOR.
AND TO BID IT OUT TO, UM, TO OTHER HAULERS, UM, THAT WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE CURRENTLY SERVING THE CITY OF DECATUR AS A MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, HAULERS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE QUALITY OF THEIR SERVICE.
UM, THE, UM, THE, ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE HAD HEARD IN WORKING THROUGH REVISIONS TO THE ORDINANCE HAD TO DO WITH SERVICE INTERRUPTION, MEANING THIS, WE, WE CALL THIS THE, THE SNOWBIRD PROVISION.
SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE AWAY FOR 2, 3, 4 MONTHS AT A TIME, DIDN'T WANNA PAY FOR GARBAGE SERVICE, UH, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND, UH, SO AT LEAST ONE OF THE HAULERS SAID THAT THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR IT ANYWAY, AS LONG AS THE, AS LONG AS THE, THE CUSTOMER CALLS AND MAKES THE REQUEST.
BUT THE ORDINANCE NEVERTHELESS SAYS THAT THERE CAN BE ONE STOP START CHARGE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME, UM, BUT OF $5 AND NO MORE THAN THAT, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE AWAY ARE NOT PENALIZED FOR HAVING TO PAY FOR SERVICE, THAT THEY DO NOT RECEIVE.
ANOTHER CATEGORY WHERE WE WANTED TO MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT CLEAR.
UM, AND IN SOME CASES, WE FELT LIKE THE HAULERS WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE
[00:40:01]
OF.IT HAD TO DO WITH, UM, A BULKY WASTE.
UH, THE BULKY WASTE, MEANING THAT YOU PUT OUT A, YOU KNOW, FURNITURE OR, OR SOMETHING THAT, THAT DOESN'T FIT INTO YOUR CONTAINER.
UM, AND BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT CLEAR, SOMETIMES THE HAULER WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU GET FIVE ITEMS. UM, UH, AND IN FACT, IT WAS INTENDED TO BE THAT YOU GET FIVE SEPARATE PICKUPS AT FIVE SEPARATE TIMES OF THE YEAR, UM, BUT NO MORE THAN FIVE UH, ITEMS. AND IF IT EXCEEDS SOME AMOUNT, THEN YOU'D HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR THAT.
AND SO THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN CLARIFIED TO, TO, TO MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO, NOW YOU HAVE TO CALL THE HAULER AND TELL 'EM THAT YOU HAVE, THESE HAVE THIS BULKY WASTE AND NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP AND, AND IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY, WHICH HOUSEHOLD HAS, HAS HAD FIVE OR NOT.
BUT, UM, SO THE LANGUAGE IS MUCH CLEARER.
YOU GET FIVE AND, AND, AND FIVE ITEMS AT EACH OF THOSE FIVE TIMES A YEAR.
YARD WASTE IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE THERE'S CHANGE.
UM, THE, UM, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE PROVIDES THAT, UH, FOR, AS A PART OF THE BASE CHARGE, THAT SIX WEEKS IN THE SPRING, AND AGAIN, FOR SIX WEEKS IN THE FALL, THERE'LL BE, UH, YARD WASTE PICKUP AT CURBSIDE.
UM, WHAT IS HAS BEEN DELETED FROM THE ORDINANCE IS PREMIUM OR EXTRA SERVICES BEYOND THE BASIC SERVICES.
THERE ARE SOME FOLKS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO WANTED TO HAVE, UH, YARD WASTE PICKED UP 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
UH, SO THE ORDINANCE ENVISIONS INSTEAD THAT YOU MAY DO THAT, UH, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO ARRANGE THAT SEPARATELY AND FOR AN EXTRA CHARGE WITH THE HAULER, WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL YOUR ASSIGNED HAULER.
YOU CAN CALL ANY HAULER THAT YOU LIKE FOR THAT.
YOU, IF YOU'RE IN GFL TERRITORY, YOU CAN CALL SOMEBODY ELSE.
IF YOU'RE IN WASTE MANAGEMENT TERRITORY, YOU CAN CALL SOMEBODY ELSE.
UM, AND, AND ALL THE HAULERS ARE REQUIRED TO POST WITH THE CITY, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T, UH, REGULATE THEM WHAT THOSE, WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE.
FINALLY, UH, THERE'S A PROVISION THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE FEE THAT THE 2350 FEE IS A COVERS BASIC SERVICE AND BASIS, BASIC SERVICES DEFINED AS ONCE A WEEK GARBAGE PICKUP WITH THE TOTE CHARGE INCLUDED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TOTE, UH, AS NECESSARY IF IT'S, IF IT'S BROKEN OR DAMAGED OR STOLEN RECYCLING ONCE A WEEK AS WELL.
UH, BUT NOT A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF CONTAINERS THAT YOU USE.
PLUS THIS FIVE AND FIVE BULKY WASTE AND THE YARD WASTE BASIC SERVICES THAT I, UM, HAVE EXPLAINED ALREADY.
FINALLY, ON YARD WASTE, I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THERE IS, THIS IS STILL JUST A PROPOSAL, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MAY MODIFY IT AS IT WISHES.
UM, WE, WE, GLOBAL WARMING IS CHANGING, UH, EVEN THE EXTENT AND TIMING FOR WHEN YOU WANT TO GET RID OF, OF BRANCHES IN THE SPRING AND, AND LEAVES IN THE FALL.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT IN WAYS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO PREDICT.
AND SO WE'D BE INTERESTED AND, UM, DESIROUS OF YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE SIX WEEKS OR IF IT SHOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, OR IF IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S FLEXIBLE ENOUGH THAT BASED ON CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS, WE DECIDE WHICH EIGHT WEEKS IT IS, UH, AT DIFFERENT, UH, THIS YEAR WAS A COLD YEAR, AND SO WE MOVED THE EIGHT WEEKS TO THIS TIME, OR THE SIX WEEKS TO THIS TIME, UM, SO THAT IT IS AT, IT IS AT A TIME THAT IS THE MOST CONVENIENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, SO THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHANGES.
BUT THAT IS THE SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPLE CHANGES.
AND SO I WILL STOP AND ASK FOR ANY COMMENTS ON THESE NON RATE ITEMS. FIRST FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE, THE LITANY OF CHANGES THAT YOU'VE JUST GONE THROUGH, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF ALL OF THOSE.
UM, THE, THE REASON THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE ANTICIPATED RATE INCREASE IS ANCHORED SOLELY IN THESE CHANGES, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL SERVICES WHEREVER POSSIBLE PERFORMED AT THE CURB AND ALL SERVICES PERFORMED FOR SOLID WASTE WITH A CART.
UM, THOSE TWO AND THOSE TWO ALONE WILL ALLEVIATE A GREAT DEAL OF OUR NEED FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUE BECAUSE IT'LL BE, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THE, THE CLIENT BASE THAT WE HAVE WITH GREATLY INCREASED EFFICIENCY.
AND WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE OUR, YOU KNOW, BEAR OUR PORTION OF THAT.
SO WE'LL TAKE THE EFFICIENCIES AND WE WILL SEE THE LIMIT TO THE, UH, THE RATE.
UM, AS THIS HEARING PROCEEDS, THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS FROM, UM, OR, OR COMMENTS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT'S NOT A QUE, IT'S NOT AQ AND A I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE MIGHT BE COMMENTS FROM, UM, CITIZENS THAT YOU MIGHT FEEL THAT YOU DON'T WANNA RESPOND TO.
CAN I CALL ON YOU LATER IN THE HEARING FOR THAT? I'LL SIT CLOSE BY.
[00:45:02]
WE'RE ALSO, UH, FOR ALL THE, THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND WE APPRECIATE BEING INVOLVED IN ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT LED TO WHERE WE'RE AT TONIGHT.UH, CARTS DO MAKE OUR WORK SAFER, THAT MAKES US MORE EFFICIENT, KEEPS OUR DRIVERS IN THE TRUCK, KEEPS THEM FROM GETTING HURT.
IT'S THE WAY THAT THE ENTIRE GARBAGE INDUSTRY AROUND THE WORLD IS MOVING TO.
UM, OUR TRUCKS DON'T LIKE ALLEYS.
THE ALLEYS WERE LAID OUT BEFORE MOTOR VEHICLES IN MANY INSTANCES.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET OUTTA THE ALLEYS AND TO, UH, AND TO STOP ANY KIND OF DAMAGE THAT, THAT OUR TRUCKS MAY CAUSE.
UH, AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT BUILT FOR, FOR THE WORLD THAT WE'RE IN TODAY.
UH, TAKING AWAY OUR CUSTOMER BASE BECAUSE OF, UH, SERVICE ISSUES IS, UH, IS A THREAT THAT WILL LIVE WITH EVERY DAY AND, AND IT'S GONNA CARRY SOME WEIGHT.
WE UNDERSTAND WHY THAT LANGUAGE IS IN PLACE.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THE BULK PICKUPS, THE FIVE PICKUPS, AND THE FIVE ITEMS THAT COME WITH THAT.
AND WE'D BE FLEXIBLE WITH THE SIX WEEK WINDOW THAT YOU WANT TO USE BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN THE LEAVES FALL IN THE, IN THE FALL AND, AND WHEN THE WARM WEATHER SETS IN IN THE SPRING.
WE WOULD JUST HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES UP AND, AND AGREE ON WHEN THAT WINDOW WOULD BE.
WE HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ALSO DO A, A LANDSCAPE WASTE SWEEP IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL, UH, WITH, BECAUSE WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THOSE ALL FLEX YEAR TO YEAR BASED ON THE WEATHER PATTERN OF THAT SEASON.
ERIC, UM, ONE OF THE SOURCES OF, OF COMPLAINTS BESIDES THE ONES THAT I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE HEARD FROM, UM, FROM CITIZENS, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T RUN THE GARBAGE SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T BILL FOR THE GARBAGE SERVICE, BECAUSE WE REGULATE IT, CITIZENS WILL REGISTER THEIR COMPLAINTS WITH OUR, UH, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND SO ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE OFTENTIMES HAVE RECEIVED IS THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS CALLED, UM, THE, THE HAULER, AND THIS APPLIES BOTH TO GFL AND TO WASTE MANAGEMENT.
AND THEY, THEY COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO ANYBODY, OR IT WAS, UM, OR IT WAS A RECORDED MESSAGE.
AND SO WE HAVE ADDED LANGUAGE, AS YOU, I'M SURE, KNOW, THAT THERE HAS TO BE A LIVE PERSON ON THE OTHER END.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOMEBODY LOCATED IN DECATUR, BUT A LIVE PERSON WHO CAN PROVIDE A HUMAN RESPONSE.
UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM FOR GFL? NO.
WE, WE HAVE LIVE PEOPLE, BUT THERE ARE THOSE, UH, INSTANCES SPECIFICALLY WHEN BILLS COME OUT, WHEN OUR CALL VOLUME DOES SPIKE TO VERY HIGH RATES.
AND SO WE DO ASK PEOPLE TO, ONE, HAVE PATIENCE WITH US INTO TWO, LISTEN TO THE PROMPTS BECAUSE WE WILL CALL BACK.
UH, WE, WE WANT A, A ROBUST STAFF, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE, UH, THE BIGGEST STAFF TO HANDLE THE, THE PEAK TIMES, WHICH IS WHEN WE GET THE MOST CALLS, WE TRY TO, UH, BE RESPONSIVE.
THE, I BELIEVE THE ORDINANCE SAYS WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU IN 24 HOURS, PROVIDE SOME RESOLUTION, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
BUT, UM, IT, IT IS TOUGH TO, TO PICK UP THE PHONE ON THE FIRST RING IN THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I WANNA ASK YOU, AND I SHOULD PROBABLY ASK MR. S SHAB THIS TOO, AND I SIMPLY FAILED TO ASK.
UM, UH, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT BEEN INUNDATED WITH THIS REQUEST, WE HAVE HAD SOME REQUESTS FOR, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST LET US, UM, PICK THE HAULER THAT WE WANT RATHER THAN THE ONE THAT WE'RE ASSIGNED TO NOW THAT THE CITY MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE THESE DISTRICTS, UH, SEVERAL, MANY YEARS AGO, UN UNDER THE LOGIC THAT IF WE HAD, UH, A DOZEN DIFFERENT COMPANIES ALL GOING UP AND DOWN THE SAME STREET, THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE EFFICIENT.
UM, AND, UH, UH, THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH ALL THE TIME AND CREATE MORE DAMAGE, UH, TO THE, TO THE STREETS.
UH, WHAT IS, WHAT IS G L'S POSITION ON THIS MATTER? UH, WE WOULD AGREE THAT, UH, KEEPING ONE GARBAGE TRUCK ON ONE STREET IS YOUR BEST OPTION.
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES WHERE RESIDENTS CAN PICK THEIR HOLLER, AND THERE'S INSTANCES ON A CUL-DE-SAC WHERE YOU COULD HAVE EIGHT HOMES AND EIGHT DIFFERENT GARBAGE TRUCKS, OR EIGHT DIFFERENT SERVICES MULTIPLYING TIMES EIGHT.
THE, THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE THAT A TRUCK WILL DO TRAVELING UP AND DOWN THAT STREET.
SO YOU WANT TO KEEP A, A, A, A GARBAGE TRUCK ON YOUR STREETS TO A MINIMUM, AND BY SEGREGATING WHERE OUR TRUCKS CAN GO, UH, WILL MAKE YOUR ROADS LAST LONGER.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? NO, SIR.
MR. SHOP, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA SAY? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING, UH, EITHER ANY OF, OF THE THREE OTHER, UH, WASTE HAULERS? NOW? THERE ARE OTHER WASTE HAULERS BESIDES THE FIVE THAT I'VE, THE THREE SMALL ONES AND THEN WASTE MANAGEMENT AND GFL.
BUT THIS HERE, BUT, BUT CHAPTER 56 ONLY DEALS WITH, AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AT THE OUTSET OF THE MEETING, ONLY DEALS WITH RESIDENTIAL COLLECTION IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UH, UP TO SIX UNITS.
SO IF IT'S A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, IF IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL, IF IT'S A MULTI-FAMILY WITH SEVEN UNITS OR MORE, IT'S NOT COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE.
UH, AND ALL THOSE OTHERS ARE FREE TO PICK THE HAULER OF THEIR CHOICE BASED ON THE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED OR WANT AND, AND WHAT AND WHAT THE MOST COMPETITIVE FEE IS.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S BEEN THE SYSTEM FOR, FOR SOME TIME.
SO I WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS ORDINANCE ONLY DEALS WITH SIX AND FEWER UN UH, RESIDENTIAL UNITS, UN UNDER THE SAME,
[00:50:01]
UNDER THE SAME ROOF.UM, ARE THERE ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OTHER HAULERS HERE THIS EVENING? UH, I'M DISAPPOINTED.
UM, THE, UH, THERE IS, THERE'S ANOTHER, OKAY.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? WE'D, WE'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY BECAUSE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT HAS TAKEN A WHILE TO GET TO THIS POINT IS THAT THE CITY IS, I MEAN, WASTE MANAGEMENT REQUESTED A DIFFERENT RATE THAN GFL DID.
UM, AND, UH, AND THE OTHER THREE HAULERS DIDN'T MAKE ANY RATE REQUESTS, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF, OF EQUITY AND FAIRNESS, WE WANTED TO HAVE THE SAME RATE STRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT'S TAKEN A WHILE FOR, TO GET TO THIS POINT.
SO WE, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE OTHER HAULERS HAVE TO SAY.
I AGREE WITH WHAT THESE GUYS HAVE TO SAY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I DO DO, DON'T AGREE WITH, AND I DON'T NOT, I'M NOT, AND ME AND THE OTHER SMALL HAULERS, WE DON'T, NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT WE WANT THE AREAS OPENED UP, BUT RATHER, IF I P**S MY CUSTOMERS OFF AND THEY DON'T WANT DEAL WITH ME, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE ME, YOU KNOW, FIRE, FIRE ME, AND HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE.
I DON'T AGREE WITH EACH HAULER HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT HAULER, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S, IT'S NOT FAIR.
A LOT OF THE AREAS AROUND US, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT POLICY.
I'M NOT SAYING I WANT TO GO INTO OTHER AREAS, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF YOU P**S YOUR CUSTOMERS OFF BAD ENOUGH, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK UP PHONE CALL.
SIR, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND WHAT, SORRY, I FORGOT TO ASK DISPOSAL.
YEAH, SORRY, I FORGOT TO ASK YOU YOUR NAME.
ANY ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE PROCESS? THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY IT, YOU KNOW.
I, I THINK THESE GUYS ARE RIGHT AND REQUESTING A RATE INCREASE.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL YOUR EXPENSE AND YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOUR TRUCKS, YOUR NAME, JUST SO EVERYTHING THEY'RE SAYING IS RIGHT.
AND I, AND AS FAR AS THE CARTS GO, I THINK WE SHOULD STILL GET, YOU KNOW, GET RENT FOR OUR CARTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE WITH THE, JUST INCLUDED, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY RIGHT BECAUSE SOME CUSTOMERS WANT 'EM AND SOME CUSTOMERS DON'T.
I MEAN, LIKE THEY, EVERYBODY SAID SO, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
SO, JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, THE, UM, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED, AND I MEAN, SOME OF THEM WERE SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT WE, THAT WE HAD TO, THAT WE REFINED
UM, AND THINGS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT, UH, BETTER.
BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AND, AND TRIED TO THINK THROUGH HOW DO WE DO THAT WITHOUT JUST TURNING EVERYBODY LOOSE TO DO WHAT, UH, TO PICK WHOM, WHOMEVER THAT, THAT THEY WANTED.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH THIS LANGUAGE THAT I MENTIONED IN MY REVIEW, AND THAT IS THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO REVOKE OR REASSIGN, MEANING WE CAN SAY, LISTEN, THERE'S, THERE'S A PATTERN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW WHAT THAT AS A PRACTICAL MATTER THAT'S NOT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA DO IT JUST FOR ONE HOUSE, THAT THAT'S NOT EFFICIENT.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT PRACTICAL.
BUT IF AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD IS HAVING A PATTERN OF POOR SERVICE, THEN, THEN THAT WOULD TRIGGER THIS LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN INSERTED INTO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, UM, TO ENABLE THE, THE CITY TO SAY, OKAY, IN THIS AREA THE SERVICE IS SO POOR, WE'RE GONNA REASSIGN IT TO A DIFFERENT HAULER OR GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS WHERE WE ASK HAULERS TO GIVE US A PROPOSAL, UM, FOR HOW THEY CAN DO, DO A BETTER JOB.
WITH THAT, I WILL, UH, ASK THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THE NON RATE SECTIONS IN SORT OF THE SAME WAY THAT MR. MARTIN DID.
IF YOU WOULD, UM, UH, COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND COMMENTARY, UH, THIS SECTION OF THE HEARING CONTINUES TO BE VIDEOTAPED AND THAT VIDEOTAPE AS WELL AS A WRITTEN SYNOPSIS OF IT'LL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AS A PART OF, AND PROBABLY EVEN BEFORE THEY WOULD ACT ON ANY REVISIONS TO CHAPTER 56.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? MY NAME IS BRUCE WASHBURN.
UM, COULD YOU CLARIFY THE LARGE ITEM PICKUP? THE BULK, I, I STILL, IS IT FIVE ITEMS, BUT IT CAN BE AT FIVE INDIVIDUAL SEPARATE TIMES, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.
UM, EACH TIME YOU COULD HAVE FIVE ITEMS THAT FIVE, FIVE TIMES.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU COULD HAVE 25 ITEMS, IN OTHER WORDS, OVER THIS BUSY OH FIVE ITEMS. OKAY.
YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU CALL IN TO WASTE MANAGEMENT OR GFL, MAINLY WASTE MANAGEMENT, THEY SAY YOU GET FIVE ITEMS AND YOU ONLY GET 'EM ONE, ONE PICKUP A YEAR, FIVE ITEMS, AND THAT'S THE WAY, BUT, BUT I KNOW THE LANGUAGE FOR THE CITY HAD IT WRITTEN DIFFERENTLY, BUT WHEN YOU CALL IN, THEY TELL YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR MENTIONING THAT.
UM, IN FACT, THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, WAS UNFORTUNATE, I THINK, AND WAS, UH, WORDED IN A WAY THAT THE CITY KNEW WHAT IT MEANT, BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY CLEAR TO SOME OF THE READERS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE CHANGED THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT DOUBLY CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT IT MEANS FIVE TIMES, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN FIVE ITEMS, AND EXCEPT THE FIVE ITEMS IS, IS PER PICKUP.
[00:55:01]
NOW, I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT SAYS IF SOMEONE HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS SERVICE BY EMPTYING THE, THE CONTENTS OF AN ENTIRE APARTMENT OUT ONTO THE CURB, UH, THAT'S AN ABUSE OF, OF BULKY WASTE.AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT PROVIDES THAT AS LONG AS THE HAULER PROVIDES PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF IT, THEN THEY CAN, THAT THEY CAN ASSESS AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
THE INTENT OF THE BULKY WASTE IS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THE AVERAGE RESIDENT CAN GET RID OF FURNITURE THEY DON'T WANT OR SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN STOWED AWAY IN THEIR, IN THEIR ATTIC OR BASEMENT THAT THEY DON'T NEED ANYMORE.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE AWAY FOR A LANDLORD TO EMPTY THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF A, OF AN APARTMENT OUT FOR NOTHING, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL, I, I'VE GOT, I, I AM HERE TO REPORT THAT I GOT OUTSTANDING SERVICE TODAY FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT.
ONE OF MY RENTERS HAS FIVE ITEMS IN HER GARAGE.
SO I CALLED TO GET TWO BOX SPRINGS, TWO MATTRESSES ON THE COUCH PICKED UP, BUT, AND I ONLY GOT HUNG UP ON ONE TIME.
SO I MEAN, THAT WAS OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
I MEAN, IN THE PAST, I GET HUNG UP THREE OR FOUR TIMES WHERE IT'S EXHAUSTED TO THE POINT THAT I JUST GIVE UP.
SO, I MEAN, THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR BY GIVING 'EM RATE INCREASES.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE.
I, I BELIEVE THAT THE, THAT THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING WILL CORRECT THAT IN THE WAY THAT I'VE DESCRIBED.
UM, IN THE, IN THE BACK THERE, UH, IF, IF YOU'D COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE? YES.
I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE TOTES.
YOU SAID THAT THEY CAN BE REPLACED IF THEY'RE TORN OR STOLEN, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
SO MY DAUGHTER HAD TWO OF THEM STOLEN, AND EVERY TIME SHE WOULD CALL THEM, THEY WOULD TELL HER SHE WOULD HAVE TO GET A POLICE REPORT.
IS THAT TRUE? UM, I CAN'T WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UM, IF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO IT, HE CAN, UM, CERTAINLY WASTE MANAGE IF, IF THEY'VE BEEN STOLEN.
I CAN CERTAINLY ENVISION THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT MIGHT WANT THERE TO BE A POLICE REPORT IF THERE'S SOMEBODY STEALING TOTES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT THE, THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.
THE, THE POINT OF, OF CHAPTER 56 REVISIONS WITH REGARD TO TOTES IS, AND, AND THIS REFLECTS WHAT A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE MIDWEST ARE DOING, IS THAT AS LONG AS IT'S NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND EVEN MAYBE EVEN PERIODIC THEFT, SADLY, UM, THEN THE HAULER HAS CALCULATED THAT INTO THEIR RATE.
AND SO NOW, NOW, IF YOU GET A BRAND NEW ONE AND, AND DRIVE OVER IT NEXT WEEK, THEN MAYBE THE HAULER MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED IN CHARGING YOU FOR, BUT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR IS, YOU'RE GONNA GET A NEW ONE WITHOUT AN EXTRA CHARGE, AND THERE'S GONNA BE NO TO NO TOTE RENTAL, WHICH I THINK WILL REALLY TAKE THE EDGE OFF THE, THE RATE HIKE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE PAYING THESE, THESE EXTRA CHARGES.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? MM, NOT REALLY.
I MEAN, REALLY, YOU GONNA CALL THE POLICE? I MEAN, SHOULDN'T THEY BE DOING SOMETHING BETTER THAN TAKING A REPORT ABOUT A GARBAGE CAN? I MEAN, WELL, UM, I MEAN, AND THEN ARE THEY PICKING AND CHOOSING WHO NEED A POLICE REPORT? I MEAN, HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ANYBODY? I'M JUST ASKING.
UH, PROBABLY A POLICE REPORT FOR ONE TOTE PROBABLY ISN'T WORTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S TIME.
UH, BUT IF THERE'S A PATTERN OF IT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD WOULD WANT TO KNOW.
UH, DAVE, DO YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENT? YES.
THE COMMENT, UM, YES, THAT IS ONE OF OUR REQUIREMENTS THAT IF IT IS STOLEN, WE, WE DO ASK FOR A POLICE REPORT SPECIFICALLY TO CODIFY IT AND SEE IF THERE'S A PATTERN OF IT, BUT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST A SINGLE INCIDENT.
UH, THERE'S A CAPITAL COST OF OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE CARTS NOW, PLUS THE CHARGE TO DELIVER THEM AND ASSEMBLE THEM.
AND AS, AGAIN, IT'S CLEARLY STATED THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT OUR LITERATURE THAT THE CARTS OF THE PROPERTY OF WASTE MANAGEMENT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR.
AND IF THEY ARE STOLEN, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A POLICE REPORT FILED.
MR. SHAW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN SERVICING, UM, WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT GO TO A UNIFIED TOTE SERVICE LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WHERE YOU TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE TOTE, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT THEFT HAS GONE DOWN IN THOSE, IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES? 'CAUSE IF EVERYBODY GETS A FREE, A FREE TOTE AS A PART OF THE FEE, AS A RESULT OF REASONABLE WEAR AND TEAR, IT SEEMS LOGICAL TO ME THAT THERE WOULD BE LESS NEED FOR SOMEBODY TO STEAL ONE FROM THE NEIGHBOR.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT AN ATTRACTIVE, UH, KNOW ONE OFF.
THEY'RE, EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME SERVICE AND IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF THE, THE PRESTIGE OF HAVING OR STEALING ONE PRESTIGE OF
[01:00:01]
STEALING.THERE'S NOTHING LIKE PRESTIGE IN THE GARBAGE BUSINESS.
I AM BRANDY BROWN AGAIN, SPEAKING ON THE SECOND MATTER.
UM, MY FIRST RESPONSE IS TO THE WASTE MAN, WASTE MANAGEMENT GENTLEMAN, AND TO YOURSELF, UM, ABOUT THE UNIFORMITY OF THE WASTE, THE, THE CANS.
UM, IF YOU THINK OF PEOPLE ON DISABILITY, I AM A WORKING, UM, WOMAN AND THE COST OF PAYING EACH MONTH TO RENT A CAN.
UM, WHEN YOU CALCULATE THAT YEARLY AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS SERVICE FOR A LIFETIME, IF YOU ARE WATCHING YOUR BUDGET, THAT IS QUITE A BIT OF AN EXPENSE FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD TO PAY FOR A CAN THAT YOU CAN PURCHASE AT LOWE'S OR MENARDS.
SECOND CONCERN IS, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UM, THEY, I DON'T WANNA BASH ANYBODY, BUT THEY ARE HORRIBLE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHO WE WANT TO PICK UP OUR GARBAGE SERVICES.
UM, IF YOU MISTREAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOU DON'T HONOR THEM ENOUGH, WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY YOU OUT OF OUR PAYCHECK FOR YOU TO GIVE US THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE US? I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS UNFAIR AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
I WILL SAY, UM, IN THIS PAST YEAR AND LAST YEAR, THEY MISSED PICKUP FOR ME 13 TIMES.
I SPENT 11 DAYS LUNCH BREAKS, CALLING INTO THEIR OFFICE, MY ENTIRE LUNCH BREAK TO THE POINT THEY WOULD TELL ME, I'M CALLING BACK, A SUPERVISOR'S GONNA CALL YOU BACK.
THEY WOULD CALL BACK AND SAY, THEY SAID THEY PICKED IT UP.
I WOULD TAKE PICTURES EACH DAY WHEN I GOT HOME AND SAY, SEND THEM IN SAYING THEY DID NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR DRIVER MUST BE DOCUMENTING SOMETHING, UM, UNETHICAL.
THEY DON'T WANNA GIVE A CREDIT.
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY BEING BILLED AND THEY'RE NOT PICKING UP YOUR SERVICE.
THIS HAPPENED TO ME SO MANY TIMES.
EVENTUALLY I CALLED THE CITY BECAUSE I'M THINKING, WHAT DO I DO WITH THE GARBAGE NOW THAT IT'S OVERFLOWING? BECAUSE THE NEIGHBOR WILL CALL THE CITY ON YOU IF YOUR, YOUR GARBAGE IS OVERFLOWING, BUT THEY'RE TAKING THE MONEY OUT OF MY BANK ACCOUNT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
UM, THE RATES ARE SO HIGH, YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM.
AND THEN YOU HAVE LIMITS OF WHAT YOU CAN PUT OUT.
AGAIN, WITH THE BULK ITEMS I HAD, I'VE HAD WASTE MANAGEMENT SINCE
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO PUT OUT EVEN FIVE BULK ITEMS IN ONE YEAR.
IF YOU CALL FOR A BULK ITEM, IT WAS A PROBLEM.
SO I WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO GET A TRUCK, RENT IT AND GO OUT TO THE LANDFILL AND PAY TO DUMP THOSE ITEMS OR GET A FULL DUMPSTER FROM PUGLEY PUGSLEY.
THERE'S ENOUGH GARBAGE HAULERS IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR US TO CHOOSE.
UM, WITH MR. GFL, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND I DON'T WANNA BASH HIM EITHER, BUT, UM, I'M NOT THAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE STREETS GETTING TORN UP.
UM, OUR TAXES IS UP AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PAY.
THOSE STREETS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER.
SO A COUPLE MORE GARBAGE TRUCKS COMING DOWN THE STREET.
IT'S NOT GONNA HURT THE STREETS.
WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR CONSTITUENTS STAYING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND BEING TREATED LIKE YOU WANT US HERE.
WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK NEXT? YES, MA'AM.
I'LL, I'LL CALL YOU, I'LL CALL YOU NEXT.
UH, THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES THAT I HAVE BEEN MISSED ALSO AND THERE WAS, UH, A TIME THAT MY HOUSE HAD GOT RAN INTO AND THEY WAS CHARGING ME FOR GARBAGE SERVICE FOR THE SIX MONTHS THAT I WAS OUT OF MY HOUSE.
I HAD INFORMED THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I COULD DO.
AND I SPOKE WITH MR. HOLT FROM THE CITY AND HE CALLED HIM FINALLY.
I DID GET SOME RESULTS AND THEN ANOTHER TIME I WAS SKIPPED FOR THREE WEEKS AND I KEPT CALLING.
FINALLY I GOT THE CORPORATE OFFICE PHONE NUMBER AND THAT'S WHO I'VE BEEN CALLING.
BUT AFTER THE THREE WEEKS OF BEING MISSED, I LITERALLY PICKED MY GARBAGE UP, PUT IT IN MY VAN, AND TOOK IT OUT THERE TO 'EM AND DUMPED IT OFF IN FRONT OF THEIR DOOR.
[01:05:01]
I MEAN, IT'S NOT RIGHT.IF YOU DON'T WANNA PICK IT UP, THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND GET A JOB.
I MEAN, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE OUR OWN GARBAGE OUT TO GET IT RECYCLED OR WHATEVER THEY DO WITH IT.
MY NAME IS FERLIN ROSENBERGER AND THIS IS A REALLY PIDDLY COMPLAINT AFTER HEARING THESE OTHERS.
BUT WHEN OUR HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1960, THERE WAS A NOTCH CUT INTO THE SHED BEHIND OUR CARPORT SO THAT THE TRADITIONAL METAL, UH, GARBAGE CANS COULD BE SET IN THERE.
THOSE BIG TOTES WON'T FIT IN THAT SPACE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY BIG TOTES AND THERE'S ONLY TWO OF US.
WE DON'T NEED A BIG TOTE FOR TRASH, YOU KNOW, EVERY WEDNESDAY.
AND SO I, I JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE USING MY METAL.
CAN I EVEN STILL HAVE A RED RECYCLING TOTE? ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION MORE THAN ONCE WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT ABOUT THAT SINCE THEY, THEY STOLE MINE.
BUT, UM, I WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE ANOTHER ONE AND WHEN THE WEATHER'S BAD, I GOT TO JUST TAKING IT ACROSS THE STREET TO MY NEIGHBORS WHO'S GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED ME TO USE HER BIG TOTE, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S A SINGLE WOMAN AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE THAT MUCH STUFF IN HER RECYCLING BIN EITHER.
AND I'VE JUST CONTINUED TO USE THAT.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD PUT THESE BIG TOTES.
I THINK CITY CODE SAYS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEM OUT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE THEY REALLY LOOK CRUMMY SITTING OUT THERE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I HAVE LANDSCAPING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE HOUSE.
I REALLY DON'T WANNA PUT 'EM IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FLOWER BEDS.
BIG TOTE OR TRASH CAN OR WHAT? OH, AND ANOTHER THING, I HAVE WATCHED THAT, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT, UH, WORKER, WHEN HE GETS THAT FRONT BIN FILLED UP, TOSS IT OVER THE HEAD AND GO BACK INTO THE TRUCK AND HAVE STUFF COME OUT ON THE STREET AND THEN HE DRIVES OFF.
HE PROBABLY ISN'T EVEN AWARE THAT IT'S COME OUT OF THERE, BUT I WAS, SO I WENT OUT AND I PICKED IT UP.
WE'RE ON A DEAD END, SO WHEN HE CAME BACK AROUND, I COULD PICK IT UP, THROW IT IN THE TRUCK.
UM, WHILE IT IS YOUR, YOUR OBSERVATION IS CORRECT THAT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE DOESN'T PROVIDE THE OPTION FOR YOU TO USE YOUR, YOUR CAN.
IT DOES GIVE YOU THE OPTION OF WHICH OF THE TOTES YOU COULD, YOU CAN HAVE THE LARGER OR THE SMALLER SIZE.
SO ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? UH, YES SIR.
IF YOU'D COME UP TO THE PODIUM, I'D BE GRATEFUL.
ERIC KING, SORRY TO DISAPPOINT EVERYBODY, BUT I, WASTE MANAGEMENT IS BEEN NOTHING BUT GOOD FOR US FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT COMMENT.
AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP YEAR ROUND YARD WASTE.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF WASTE AND NEVER KNOW WHEN THE LIMBS ARE GONNA COME DOWN OR THE LEAVES.
THEY'RE ALL, SO WE APPRECIATE THE YEAR ROUND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
I SAW ANOTHER HAND, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SPEAK? YES, SIR.
UH, BRUCE FRANZ, UH, I JUST WANNA KIND OF BE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE FROM MOST OF THE COMMENTATORS HERE TONIGHT.
THAT I AM VERY HAPPY AND SATISFIED WITH MY HAULER.
SO I HOPE THE CITY NEVER MAKES A CHANGE IN REGARDS TO THE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO.
'CAUSE I'M VERY HAPPY, UH, ALONG WITH THE, UH, CHANGES TO 56.
UH, GENERALLY I'M OKAY WITH THOSE EXCEPT FOR THE YARD WASTE.
PROBABLY HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE STREET HAVE YARD WASTE OFF AND ON THROUGHOUT THE APRIL TO NOVEMBER TIME PERIOD.
AND BY GOING TO ONLY SIX WEEKS OR EIGHT WEEKS AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END OF
[01:10:01]
THE SEASON, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE PROBLEMATIC.AND SO IF, UH, UH, IF EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS TO NEGOTIATE WITH SOME HAULER TO PICK UP YARD WASTE YEAR ROUND, I THINK YOU'RE GETTING BACK TO THE POINT OF HAVING MULTIPLE TRUCKS RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I PREFER TO SEE THE, UH, YARD WASTE PICK UP AS IT IS CURRENTLY AND NOT BE CHANGED.
UM, FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, UH, DOESN'T HAVE YEAR-ROUND, UH, YARD WASTE IN THE BASIC CHARGE.
IT'S A PREMIUM CHARGE, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS TO ELECT THAT.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? HEARING NONE SEEING, UM, I WILL ONE, ONE MORE TIME ASK, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU WANTED TO BRING UP BASED ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT'S BEEN OFFERED HERE THIS EVENING.
THEN THAT CONCLUDES THE HEARING.
THE, UH, LET, LET, LET ME CLARIFY THAT.
UH, NO ACTION OF COURSE WILL BE TAKEN THIS EVENING AND ALL OF THIS COMMENTARY, I'VE BEEN KEEPING NOTES AND WE'LL HAVE A SUMMARY OF IT PREPARED AND YOU CAN, UH, YOU CAN WATCH IT, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE ONCE IT'S FINALLY PREPARED.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.