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Horse before the cart? Council brouhaha about second waste cart has turned into a tempest in a teapot

Too much money? A deterrent to recycling? Remember the neighbourhood community and city council meetings last October and November that caused such a fuss when council - at a price - offered residents a second waste cart option for their new automate

Too much money?

A deterrent to recycling?

Remember the neighbourhood community and city council meetings last October and November that caused such a fuss when council - at a price - offered residents a second waste cart option for their new automated garbage pickup?

Coun. Charlene Lafreniere stated she was not in favour of the provision of additional carts due to the fact that it might discourage people from recycling.

"The concerns that were brought to me from people that I talked to, the people who had fears about not having enough space for their garbage were people who didn't recycle," she explains. "I see these principles we have set, wanting to minimize our waste, but when council has said one can and then administration is recommending two because some residents stated displeasure with reducing their waste, that's disappointing."

Deputy mayor Harold Smith says that he believed the financial burden of paying for a second cart would discourage many residents from wanting one.

"Let's look at making sure that the amount that is covered as part of the service level is one bin, and over that an additional bin isn't specifically prohibited but there is a steep financial incentive - or disincentive - to opt for the second cart."

At a community forum at R.D. Parker Collegiate last Nov. 4, several members in the audience said that it wasn't fair that people who can't afford to pay the down payment or the monthly fee for the second cart aren't able to take advantage of the second cart option. Others complained that one - or even two - garbage bins were simply not enough for some larger families, even when those families recycle.

Mayor Tim Johnston pointed out that limiting the number of bins is all part of the City of Thompson's waste management plan, while other audience members suggested that perhaps people who needed more than two bins were not recycling, reusing or purchasing items as wisely as they could be.

It seems three months later that Smith's view was closer to the mark than anyone's. As of Jan. 13, a single second cart had been issued, confirmed Wayne Koversky, director of public works, at a cost of $340 up front for the year. "If the individual does not require the cart after the first year and there is only normal wear tear we will rebate them $100, Koversky said.

City council has also approved ponying up $256,802 - plus taxes - for a Labrie automated recycling truck identical to the Labrie automated garbage truck for the same price that first went into service last Nov. 4 in Juniper-Southwood and the Burntwood Trailer Court.

In a Dec. 29, 2009 memo to council, city manager Randy Patrick recommended council approve the "early purchase" of the American-made truck from through Joe Johnson Equipment Inc. in Winnipeg, before the 2010 municipal budget is approved.

In his memo, Patrick wrote Joe Johnson was willing to sell the recycling truck at the same price as last year's automated garbage truck, delivered in early October, "if council is willing to commit to the purchase of another vehicle immediately if the truck is not purchased immediately, the City of Toronto has placed an order for 55 trucks, and trucks will not be available until late 2010. For trucks purchased later in the year, there is also an increase in price of four per cent."

Koversky had recommended a year ago council purchase both trucks - one in 2009 and the other in 2010. Koversky said recently he hopes the Labrie automated recycling truck will be on the streets of Thompson by spring.

City council approved spending $860,000 last April 6 for the Labrie automated solid waste garbage truck and 3,300 pairs of garbage and delivery bins from the 2009 capital budget to allow for single-operator truck combined curbside collection.

The city took delivery last in August of 3,300 pairs of garbage and delivery bins that can be emptied into a collection truck by mechanical arms, eliminating the need for garbage and recycling collectors to empty bins by hand.

The Thompson Recycling Centre currently provides residential and commercial recycling service in Thompson, with free curbside pickup with or without a blue box, and recycling depots on Severn Crescent, in Cliff Park and in the recreation centre parking lot.

Koversky said the city will keeping the current garbage truck for backup if needed, but added the new automated waste collection truck can operate even if the 10-foot arm, the longest available, is disabled or broken.

Originally, the city was going to buy a truck with a seven-foot arm, but ultimately reconsidered and went for the maximum 10-foot model in light of Thompson's notoriously high winter snow banks for months on end, said Koversky.

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