Should Bethlehem switch to a single, citywide trash hauler?

A point-counterpoint with a city official and a trash hauler.

December 12, 2012|Interviews by Nicole Radzievich, Of The Morning Call

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan wants to generate revenue for an underfunded budget by hiring one trash hauler under a citywide contract, replacing the current system of residents choosing their own hauler. The proposal has brought passionate, overflow crowds to City Council chambers.

Joseph Kelly, Bethlehem director of community and economic development

Q: Some have argued there is no public outcry for a single hauler. What makes you think residents are receptive to the idea?

A: One of our responsibilities is to look for ways to improve the quality of life for our residents. Residents win under a single-hauler system because it saves them money, expands their services and results in cleaner neighborhoods. We already have a single-hauler system that 83 percent of them view favorably called recycling. Fifty-six percent of our residents think the trash collection system should be improved. Sixty-five percent of residents are interested in a single-hauler system.

Q: How would a single hauler help the average city household bill?

A: The average cost for trash removal for a resident is $350 a year. Add in recycling and it costs a resident about $410 yearly to remove waste, plus additional fees to remove large bulk items. Based upon the disposal number we received and recent municipal contracts, we anticipate the cost of services to be $300 per household, a net savings of $110. A real money savings with expanded services and a cleaner city seems like a good plan for all of us.

Q: What would the service include and how would that be an improvement over existing service?

A: Our proposed collection service would include once-a-week trash collection; recycling and yard waste collection including grass (so no more trips to the compost facility to drop off your yard waste) every other week; once-a-month free bulk item collection; and Christmas tree collection. Additionally, there would be monthly collection of Freon items for a reduced charge. Currently, every hauler does it differently. For example, some pick up yard waste and take it to the landfill, others do not. Under our system, yard waste would be collected every other week and taken to our compost facility.

Q: How would a single hauler make the city streets cleaner?

A: Every day is trash day in our neighborhoods, so inspectors do not know when someone's trash is collected so it can sit out for days. Trash on the streets every day is a nuisance because garbage invariably blows away, reflects poorly on a neighborhood and attracts rodents. Everyone would have a trash hauler. Today, residents without a hauler dispose of their trash illegally by dumping it in isolated areas of the city or in private dumpsters without permission.

Q: What effect would it have on the city budget if the single hauler is not approved?

A: The fees generated from our recycling program and the proposed municipal waste program would be used to pay for services associated with these programs, like leaf collection. As the state continues to reduce support for recycling programs, we have become more reliant on real estate tax dollars to support these programs. These programs can't survive without using real estate tax dollars. I am not certain whether City Council will propose cuts, should it not adopt a single-hauler system, or recommend a tax or fee increase.

Q: Why can't the city allow haulers to use the landfill fee Bethlehem was offered and negotiate a tipping fee with the individual haulers?

A: In C & A Carbone vs. Clarkstown, the United States Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for a city to mandate that private municipal trash haulers take municipal waste to a specific privately run facility. Based on this case, it would seem that the city cannot require haulers take trash to a specific private landfill. Also, I am not sure whether the other privately run landfills in the area would sue to stop the city from enforcing such a contract. It also does nothing to resolve the quality-of-life issues surrounding the current system. Every day would still be trash day in our neighborhoods. The number of garbage trucks in our neighborhoods remains the same. Residents will continue to go without a hauler and dump their trash illegally.

David Sterner, owner of Clark Sterner Sanitation of Allentown

Q: Bethlehem has released survey results that show 65 percent of the public would support a single hauler system if it saves people money and improves service. Why do you think a majority supports choosing their own private haulers?

A: The sample space for this survey was not large enough. There are approximately 75,000 residents in the city of Bethlehem and only 1,573 responded to this one-sided survey. Only two questions on the survey were related to trash hauling.

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