LETTER- Van deer Linde shoulda paid those fees

I don't understand why there has been so much community support for Peter van der Linde. [January 28: "Freed Van der Linde; Govt drops suit against recycler "].

According to news reports and his own words in local radio interviews, his reason for not paying a $16-per-ton fee on trash from Charlottesville and Albemarle County at the Zion Crossroads transfer station was not that he didn't know there was a fee, but rather that he wasn't asked to identify those loads so he could be assessed the fee.

When did it become honorable for a purchaser (of a service, in this case) to avoid paying known fees just because the service provider didn't specifically ask the right question when it was time to pay?

Let's apply this kind of reasoning to a mother at a grocery store who gives her hungry child a banana to eat while she's shopping. When she gets to the register and the cashier doesn't ask about the banana peel in the cart, is it okay for the mother to just walk out of the store without paying for the banana that she knows full well requires payment?

Mr. van der Linde's reasoning seems morally deficient, illicit in nature, and not at all logical. I'm stunned that so many people would support his actions privately, let alone publicly.

Marlene Condon



BFI also lies. During a meeting with the Fluvanna County BOS seeking approval years ago, they promised that they would accept large items free of charge from Fluvanna residents who brought them by i.e. appliances. They also promised that they would mostly take I-64 at Zions Crossroads for their business and their facility would have little impact on those that live along Route 250 in Fluvanna. Finally, they promised they would recycle most of the trash that was delivered to the facility. We were present at the meeting when they promised all of these things. We knew they were fibbing at the time. As it turns out, they were all lies! BFI and those trash providers that use the facility i.e. Waste Management, Martin Horn, etc.... exclusively take Route 250 for approximately 8 miles west to use I-64 at Boyds Tavern to go to Charlottesville and the same way back. Why do that when the facility is exactly one (1) mile from the Zions Crossroads I-64 ramp (we checked the miles). My mother went to BFI, before Van der Linde's facility was built, to ask them about dropping off an old appliance and was told that they only accept trash from contractors not residents. Based on the volume of traffic on Route 250 obviously they don't use I-64 at Zions Crossroads as promised, don't accept large items from Fluvanna County residents, and don't recycle trash. This statement is just to enlighten those who don't live in Fluvanna County. At least Van der Linde is telling the truth by recycling most of the construction/residential items and banning his trucks off of Route 250 unless using the road is required for service. At least he tells the truth and does what he promises and that is more than we can say for BFI. Fluvanna County residents are in the middle of this mess and quite honestly we are tired of hearing about this! These facilities should have been built where the debris originate not in Fluvanna County then this issue would be a mute point!

Concerned- does that mean that if I buy a product, say coffee in Fluvanna, that I should bring the empty cup back to Fluvanna rather than dispose of it in Albemarle?

The man is doing everyone a favor, as well as profiting from his investment.

Think about it- how ridiculous.

Marlene, Please read this and then perhaps you'll understand why everyone I know thinks Mr. Van der Linde was unjustly prosecuted.


To Harry: I am not criticizing Mr. Van der Linde in any way. At least he told the truth to Fluvanna County residents, did what he said, and it was put in writing unlike BFI/Allied Waste. I would rather he be doing business than BFI/Allied Waste. I am just saying if City and Albemarle County were that concerned about the revenue stream then they should have located the facility in one of these areas rather than Fluvanna County. They would have more control. Where the current facilites are located it is at least 10 miles to the Fluvanna/Albemarle line and more to Charlottesville. Officials would be sure they get the required revenue and residents have their debris taken to their area and there would be no confusion because City and Albemarle County trash would only be accepted. Then, Fluvanna County would have their own facility, collect their own revenue, and accept only Fluvanna County trash. That would make happy Fluvanna County residents and happy City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County officials and residents who will get all of the money they are entitled!

Charllotesville and Albemarle residents would never be happy if a facility like Van der Linde's were located there.......NIMBO!

Therefore it will never happen- they don't even like the fact that there are recycling bins in the area.

If they could get rid of the waste treatment facility they would.