Having a cleaner community is important. That’s the main reason Shawnee city commissioners should be willing to invest more in the solid waste contract options they are considering.
Commissioners plan to make a decision on a contract during their next regularly scheduled meeting. That is little more than a week away, Monday, April 19.
Commissioners opened bids from five companies nearly a month ago. They heard verbal presentations from four of the five the other night, and now must rely on staff and themselves to sift through a huge amount of materials since there are a number of variables.
About a dozen different options are included in the proposals from bidders which are under consideration. Among them are automated residential curbside solid waste collection, once a week yard waste collection, and processing, same day once a week residential curbside solid and yard waste collection.
Just as important are the options regarding bulk waste collection, curbside recycling and processing, community collection point recycling and landfill use charge to residents on a user fee basis. The fall cleanup-curbside bulk waste-once a year including the Shawnee Twin Lakes area is also among the options.
Last June, the Greater Shawnee Chamber of Commerce and the city launched a joint effort to begin cleaning up the city. It was well known then, and still is, this effort will need to span over an indefinite time period.
We think it’s essential any new contract mandate easier access for the public to discard large household items on a consistent basis. The need is real for residents to have a convenient way to dispose of large bulky items. If this community is serious about improving its overall appearance, making it easy for people should go a long way ensuring that happens.
Also, if curbside yard waste collection and curbside recycling are offered, along with strategically locating large bulk waste containers around the community, citizens should be more prone to utilize these opportunities. It should reduce the amount of dumping and tossing items in roadside ditches.
Commissioners, much to their credit, embraced the joint effort between the city and chamber when it was launched last summer. We were encouraged by some of their comments pointing to the need for this easier and better access for citizens to discard large items and the option of a nearby landfill.
Possibly when commissioners make the decision on which company will receive the new contract, they can stipulate it will include city staff negotiating with the winning bidder that these large containers will be located throughout the community.
Also, citizens should weigh in quickly and provide their thoughts to commissioners on what they believe the contract should include to enhance and improve the appearance of the community. Commissioners seem genuinely concerned about cleaning up the city and continuing this effort which began nearly a year ago.
Their decision won’t be an easy one because, to include some of the needed options, it may cost a little more and citizens will be asked to foot the bill. But that is the price the community may have to pay to continue the progress already being made.
|
|
|
Having a cleaner community is important. That’s the main reason Shawnee city commissioners should be willing to invest more in the solid waste contract options they are considering.
Commissioners plan to make a decision on a contract during their next regularly scheduled meeting. That is little more than a week away, Monday, April 19.
Commissioners opened bids from five companies nearly a month ago. They heard verbal presentations from four of the five the other night, and now must rely on staff and themselves to sift through a huge amount of materials since there are a number of variables.
About a dozen different options are included in the proposals from bidders which are under consideration. Among them are automated residential curbside solid waste collection, once a week yard waste collection, and processing, same day once a week residential curbside solid and yard waste collection.
Just as important are the options regarding bulk waste collection, curbside recycling and processing, community collection point recycling and landfill use charge to residents on a user fee basis. The fall cleanup-curbside bulk waste-once a year including the Shawnee Twin Lakes area is also among the options.
Last June, the Greater Shawnee Chamber of Commerce and the city launched a joint effort to begin cleaning up the city. It was well known then, and still is, this effort will need to span over an indefinite time period.
We think it’s essential any new contract mandate easier access for the public to discard large household items on a consistent basis. The need is real for residents to have a convenient way to dispose of large bulky items. If this community is serious about improving its overall appearance, making it easy for people should go a long way ensuring that happens.
Also, if curbside yard waste collection and curbside recycling are offered, along with strategically locating large bulk waste containers around the community, citizens should be more prone to utilize these opportunities. It should reduce the amount of dumping and tossing items in roadside ditches.
Commissioners, much to their credit, embraced the joint effort between the city and chamber when it was launched last summer. We were encouraged by some of their comments pointing to the need for this easier and better access for citizens to discard large items and the option of a nearby landfill.
Possibly when commissioners make the decision on which company will receive the new contract, they can stipulate it will include city staff negotiating with the winning bidder that these large containers will be located throughout the community.
Also, citizens should weigh in quickly and provide their thoughts to commissioners on what they believe the contract should include to enhance and improve the appearance of the community. Commissioners seem genuinely concerned about cleaning up the city and continuing this effort which began nearly a year ago.
Their decision won’t be an easy one because, to include some of the needed options, it may cost a little more and citizens will be asked to foot the bill. But that is the price the community may have to pay to continue the progress already being made.
