Agenda - 02-20-1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2" .7 Johnnie Horner, Orange County Tax Collector, is attributeddestitehhavinceSS- ful implementation of the program and its initial management, P g another job to do for the county. Sam Gatti.s, County Manager, has provided continuity to the program and on a troubl e-shooting basis has acted as pro gram management. ti Citizens generally see this as an invaluable service and for some it represents to them their most important county servi e. The success of the c green box program thus far has been heavily dependent on many store owners and property owners who have allowed these boxes on their property, suffered from box misuse and litter, been inconvenienced and largely unappreciated for their role. People were perceived as feeling that the program, while far from perfect, has until recently been very successful and has improved the environment greatly. Not having a solid waste program would result in solid waste pollution of Orange County on an unprecedented scale with an increase in the rodent population, flies, soil and water contamination and a deterioration of the quality of Life of rural Orange County. The Orange County Health Department has been concerned about what its sanitarians termed a deterioration in the program during the past year. During the recent holidays the bones were overloaded and insufficiently emptied. Considerable negative public reaction resulted from this experience. Aspects of the Problem A. The program has never received sufficient management attention as the county has not allocated necessary personnel resources. B. The County decided at the outset to serve urban fringe areas, since private service was inadequate and at times (in some such areas)nonexistant. This created a guaranteed failure for that portion of the program. Studies of small green box programs indicate they will fail when the population density rises to more than 40 persons per square mile. The es c accepted base of trash collection prediction is that each person g pounds of trash per day. The volume of small boxes needed makes location of enough -.good sites and their management a formidable task in the urban fringe. C. Citizens have not been sufficiently educated on the proper use of the boxes, the intent of the program and their responsibilities to insure program success. D. Persons furnishing sites have received 'insufficient management aid. E. Sites are not planned and modified to handle trash,. Provisions are not made to prevent the spread of litter. Sites presently result in an increase in the .rat population, flies, odor and provide wild dog and other animal forage. Aesthetic factors which influence citizen pride and bebaviorand are not incorporated. The boxes are insufficiently cleaned, pninted repaired. Environment impact is not controlled. Many sites are such that citizens are subjected to physical danger from traffic while attempting to use the box. Many sites are such that one must walk in vastly undesir- able conditions to get to the box. often boxes are placed out of sight, which leads to misuse and abuse.