SWAG agenda 082514 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Comprehensive Review of S olid W aste Collection and Disposal Options v2.1 51 10/22/12 Furthermore, a requirement to utilize yard waste carts creates a program that is easier for residents to regularly comply with the Town policies. 4.1.4 B ulky W aste C ollections 4.1.4.1 Operations Improvements Bulky wastes and dead animals throughout the Town are collected during the week according to a consistent schedule but on a random route depending on where the bulky waste and dead animals are located. This route is staffed by a single equipment operator and a flatbed truck equipped with a lift gate. The Town maintains a bulky waste fee schedule and requests that Town residents schedule collections accordingly with SWSD. While these practices still occur as scheduled, this bulky waste flatbed truck often drives randomly around the town with no particular route, looking for bulky items that have been left on the curb. When these random items are identified and collected the Town has no means of identifying the customer or assessing for associated collection fees. Understandably, these random collection practices promote inequality among paying and non-paying customers and encourage the continued practice by residents of failing to notify SWSD of bulky collection requests. SCS understands bulky waste collections are further complicated by the high ratio and transient nature of the university population. SCS recognizes that significant accountability improvements can be made in identifying, scheduling, tracking and billing for bulky waste collections. Furthermore, customers who set out bulky items randomly without a scheduled appointment and/or posting payment should be assessed a fine or penalty. More efficient operations would result in the flatbed truck and operator deploying fewer days per week, thus saving wages, fuel, and equipment usage charges. Electronic reporting systems, (i.e., GPS system and on-board reporting system) as described in the section above, would enable SWSD staff to quickly locate bulky items at curbside, report these locations to a central dispatch, schedule efficient collections routes accordingly, assess billing and accountability, and track resulting collections. Billing should ideally be performed and collected prior to scheduled collection; however, the on- board reporting system would provide the Town better resources to close these accounting gaps. Once non-scheduled bulky waste is identified, the Town may quickly identify it, provide a maximum of 1 week to bill and collect before proceeding with collection in-lieu of receiving payment. The account can then be turned over to collections. If the responsible party cannot be determined the Town may elect to bill the property owner. However the Town should maintain a budget to account for costs associated with illegal dumping and delinquent collections. By sponsoring designated bulk collection days corresponding with the university calendar (e.g., move-in and move-out) and offered at a discount rate or even free, the Town may better staff and respond to these times of typically higher bulky waste volume, thus thwarting associated illegal dumping and billing issues.