COLLECTION STATION SPRING CLEANING EVENT HEADACHES
Brenham Director of Public Works
Sometimes, being too popular can become a big headache. That is what has happened to the annual Spring Cleaning Event at the Citizens Collection Station. Brenham Director of Public Works Dane Rau told the Washington County Commissioners today (Tuesday) during a workshop session, that the annual event has gotten out of hand. The Spring Cleaning Event allows city and county residents to bring in bulk trash items for free. He said that last year, it took the collection station 6 to 8 weeks to get caught up after the event. Rau said the biggest problem is that residents are now hanging onto refuse all year long to take advantage of the free disposal. Rau said he is working with County Environmental Health Director Mark Marzahn to come up with a solution. Three options are being considered: making only the first 500 lbs. of refuse free, charging half price for disposal, or mailing out vouchers for free disposal during the event. Commissioners indicated that making only the first 500 lbs. free looked like a good option, and that they want to keep the program going to encourage residents to properly dispose of bulky items.
It is so sad that the people that are making the comments have NO IDEA of what they are talking about. It cost money to haul off the trash once it is brought to the City Collection station. Someone has to pay for it just because you do not want to pay to dump your trash and you get to do it free once or twice a year when they talk about charging you – you go nuts that you have to pay for it. Guess what there is a cost that someone has to pay even if you think you are privileged and should be able to dump it for free.
Where do we start with this? SO many ways to still allow the event to take place…..just takes a bit of imagination. How about letting all those with even numbered addresses dump for one session and the people with odd numbered addresses dump the next week. They could split this even further into people with even addresses in the city one week, even addresses in the county the next week, odd addresses in the city the next week and odd addresses in the county the following week. AND then put a limit on it. I’ve never ever taken more than 50 pounds myself so I’m not sure where this “saving the stuff all year” comes from. Who would even want all that junk around for an entire year? Is this the city possibly attempting to make more money? I’m not sure but I will stay tuned for sure!! And that’s the way it looks to this Chappell Hill Resident
Don’t be so cheap people. I use the collection station often. It’s not that expensive. Especially when you consider the convenience.
If residents are hanging onto refuse all year long to take advantage of the free disposal, why not offer Spring and Fall Cleaning events. That should split the refuse collection in half at the Spring event, correct?
Jeff great idea. It is obvious that you work for a private profit motivated enterprise and not a taxpayer supported government nonprofit motivated agency. Practical solutions are more common in private profit motivated enterprises than those government entities based on the revolving taxpayer dollars.
Great idea Jeff! Maybe would could save money too by only collecting city trash ONCE a week instead of twice a week. My trash is picked up on Friday and then again on Tuesday. I have a family of four and we do not fill a large trash bag in four days (F-T)! let alone three days ( T-F)
I know that in the past, large dumpsters were placed around the county to collect trash. How about doing this quarterly? I know the one or two times that I tried to dump trash in the large receptacles, they were already full. Perhaps dumping them once and then leaving for a longer period would help. I do not go to the Spring Cleaning dumping as the lines are too long. Hopefully something can be done.
This is just another way to raise money to pay for unneeded workers and the hiring of buddies buddies….
We already pay enough in taxes. And they want us to pay for this now too! People will just start dumping along the sides of the roads. Is that what we want??
How about ideas or suggestions on how to remedy the problem instead of complaining. The city doesn’t have to offer free dump days at all. I thought in the past free dump days were offered twice yearly. If not, that is a good option or, as county resident said, place dumpsters around to collect trash. If the city decides the first 500 lbs are free, that is a lot of trash, even if you have appliances. I also agree that long lines are discouraging so more frequent opportunities is a good idea.