So after a long and hard thought I decided that I would not attend last nights BOC meeting in fears of getting more upset than I already was. I did however contact my BOC member along with the chairman to indicate my displeasure with this entire plan.

Here are my thoughts on the morning after Gwinnett Counties version of the health-care bill being forced on Americans.

1) How is this still not illegal as one of the reasons the plan was thrown out in 1990 was due to the fact that a government may not collect a debt for a private company? The ordinance does not address this action nor does it create a Sanitation Authority or something of the like, this will be one loophole we the citizens may still have to fight this plan.

2) How can the county not bid out these services, would this not go against antitrust rules in the country?

Last week I sent out a rough P&L but here is n update version of what I envision this plan will cost to run on a yearly basis.

Great quote from last night

“The county did not settle the $80 million lawsuit; it financed it over the length of the contract,” said Anthony Grutadaurio, operating manager for Red Oak Sanitation, a small hauler with fewer than 5,000 Gwinnett customers. “Again, the residents are paying for your mistake.”

I do not see how the county can legally do this as I think they are required to bid this out. I am looking for a minority trash hauler to let them know they were not given the opportunity to service Gwinnett.

I would encourage everyone who can attend the meeting next Tuesday night to do so and let the BOC know how you feel on their closed door deals that now involve more than lad deals.

Please look back at the lead article of the AJC the day the BOC announce the new trash plan, it was the illegal dumping problem that the city of Atlanta has and they have mandatory trash service. Oh, what was the BOC’s main reason why they know we need this, illegal dumping!

Let’s see we have no ost federal and state funding since the leaders or should I say children can not agree on shared services involving cities and the county.

I would like to point out that the $1.25 service feeill bring the county in 1.875 million in revenue. Now billing this on the tax bill should cost nothing for the mailing since they already need to send the tax bill out. What in the heck is the county going to use the rest of the money for?? Here is how I see it:

$100,000.00 per year for the Trash Zar
$400,000.00 for ten trash enforcement staff members
$300,000.00 for ten customer service reps to answer our complaint calls
$100,000.00 per year for office lease and utilities
$100,000.000 per year for vehicles to patrol
$225,000.00 for benefits

Total $1.225 million per year to operate this plan for us. What happens to the $600,000.00 left over????

Don

wanted it to remain the same. I still have a problem with the county placing this on a water or tax bill if it is a independent company performing the services, law states a government may not collect a debt for a private company, the only way this can appear on a county bill is if they create an authority or trash department.

I encourage everyone to visit www.whatawastegwinnett.com and get involved. These folks have a petition going as well.

We are still posting info at GwinnettViews on happenings in Gwinnett County, please join us there.

I encourage all to write to their respective BOC member and let them know what you desire..

Thanks,
Don

Link above is fixed.

Hello all:

It has been a while since I last wrote but I have not given up on this crusade.

This says it all about what Mike Beadreau is all about and what this group was organized for, “window dressing.”

I can only think that this is the beginning for more information to follow.

I would like to thank Mack for his time and effort in trying to do the right things for us in Gwinnett but the politician behind this is less than honest in his intentions.

Mike Beaudreau is a grandstanding politician and only cares about his own personal views and nobody elses.

The BOC is this county does not care about us who elected them into office. We need to let them know how we feel about this travesty that the trash committee was lead right into.

Don

So the next meeting  night for the MBSCT is Monday 2/23/09.  I am very miffed as to why there is not  any real public posting of this meeting other than on blog sites, no real media coverage. This is the reason that I think the county should sanction this committee rather than it being a rogue group of citizens, some of the hard working people on this committee deserve more than being used as “window dressing” by Mike Beaudreau.

COME ON GWINNETT COUNTY SANCTION THIS COMMITTEE TO GIVE THEM THE CREDIBILITY THEY DESERVE!!

Ladies and gentlemen, I really do not think that the BOC gives a darn on what us citizens think on any issues at this point. They continue to operate under a vail of secrecy on this trash issue. What I mean is that without the county recognizing this committee they have slapped us in the face and think we like it.  Here is a copy of what Mike Beaudreau says on his website:

The other big issue I am working on is the county’s solid waste plan. As you probably know, the original plan did not go into effect at the beginning of the year after being blocked in court. Since the adoption of the original plan, many county residents have contacted me and the other commissioners with possible changes to the plan, and we are listening.

I have established a committee of fifteen county residents who will help collect and recommend ideas for changes to the solid waste plan. This committee has begun to meet, and will hold several public meetings over the next few months around the county to hear from residents. Its findings will be presented to the commission in anticipation of adopting a new plan sometime later this year.

With this said why will not any other members of the BOC jump in and attend these meetings? The answer is if two BOC members attend then it is considered a public hearing. Oops, the BOC does not want that! What, listen to the citizens, never!

I strongly encourage you to write the Chairman (charles.bannister@gwinnettcounty.com) along with your BOC district member and demand that this group becomes sanctioned as they are going to represent us on the future of trash in Gwinnett. How can an unofficial group represent the citizens of the county?

On a side not I hope everyone saw the article on the two escapees from the GCB recycling center in Duluth. I guess GCB manages workers about as well as they managed the new plan. I do not fault the sheriff’s guarding these two since they were working for GCB, does GCB not have any supervision at this site?

We are at serious crossroads in this country with everything that is going on. The people ofthis country need to get involved to get us back on track, this involvement must start at the local level.

Thanks,
Don S

It has become evident to me that the county is moving forward without any input form citizens and the “Blue Ribbon” committee is merely a grandstanding event. I gave this analogy this morning; the “Blue Ribbon” group is playing basketball while the county is playing soccer. The two are not even involved in the same sport so they can meet on a common field to compare the teams abilities.I think it is time for us as citizens to start contacting the folks at the county to let them know we want to be heard on an official level, not a “Beaudreau’s own doing” as Charles Bannister stated in the GDP article.

I will be at the courthouse at 1:30 today by Judge Clark’s room and can only stay until 2:45. If anyone can attend this would be great, Mack is going to be there as well.

We need support form everyone’s friends to email the county “leaders” about our frustrations on how they are handling this issue.

I also think that if the county is liable for this $25 million then someone in the legal department should be fired for not doing their job.

We need to request that these trash meeting occur on a weekend day as well since some of us cannot attend a 6:30 pm weekday night.

Thanks

Don S

Anyone want to guess on what the response was?

From: Don Shaw

To: Charles.Bannister@gwinnettcounty.com

Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 8:38 AM

Subject: Household trash pick up referendum

Dear Mr. Bannister:

I would like to express my opinion on the referendum regarding household trash collection. Yes I agree it may seem as if we have too many garbage trucks on the streets but we should not interfere with the free market system in place.

First, there is no mention on how the bids will be conducted or how the selection process will determine what companies are allowed to bid.

Second, currently in my neighborhood ( Huntcliff 30043) we have service offered from 45 per quarter to 95 per quarter. We are allowed to choose if we only want trash and recycles or all two plus yard waste. Why should the government mandate on us as to what services we need.

Third, the is no mention of how much the “service charge” will be from the county billing us on behalf of the garbage companies. This alsmost seems as if the county is looking for ways to increase the revenue stream. Government should not be a billing service.

Fourth, illegal dumping is not because we do not require every household to have trash service. Illegal dumping occurs in DeKalb County which operates its own trash collection. It is my opinion that much illegal dumping is done by home remolding companies that do not want to pay for a dumpster at commercial tree companies dumping debris.

Please vote to turn this referendum down as government should not be in this business of control it. I really feel that this will turn into the natural gas deregulation debacle, that has only cosat me money.

Less government is a cheaper govenment.America is built on the free enterprise system.

Sincerely,

Don S

Gwinnett County Solid Waste History

I strongly recommend everyone read this and see if there are an similarities facing us today with this issue.

We still need to be keeping this issue out in front of everyone. there should be more “Blue Ribbon” Meetings coming up so keep checking Mack Perry’s website for info.

Any concerns with trash collection need to be reported to the Gwinett County call center.

Please keep posting on the blogs on this trash issue.

Talk Gwinnett
Scan Gwinnett
Gwinnett Buzz

Continue to write your BOC member and inquire to what is going on and offer suggestions, please remember to be respectful in the writing.

Thanks,

Don S

Thought I would share it.

I would encourage everyone to attend this first meeting, unfortunately I am out of town Tuesday and Wednesday on business so I need some representation.

Some questions that need to be asked:

1. When are the dates of the other meetings?
2. How will the Republican value of capitalism and the free market be allowed in the process?
3. What is your plans on the administration of this plan, by who and in what form?
4. Are you the sole BOC member that is handling this?
5. Why is this needed and I mean lets see some facts not pie in the sky reasons.
6. Please provide the “state mandated” rules and regulations on this issue.
7. When will the people of the county get to vote on this?
8. Why does this have to be billed on the property tax bills?
9. How were the 15 people selected and why were some not?
10. Why only fifteen people that is only a 0.000833 representation of the 180,000 affected?
11. What is exactly wrong with the current system? Could we not get trucks to pick up areas on the same day if you are concerned with bins in the street?
12. Why is it necessary for everyone to have trash service? Do we have a factual based study on the illegal dumping? If so please present it.
13. Georgia and the metro Atlanta area has the largest landfill capacity in the country so why are we worried about reducing trash.
14. Why is it deemed necessary to mandate recycling?
15. Do you think Connie Wiggins should be involved in any way in the new program after her track record on this?
16. Could we not require citizens to have waste service and monitor it like the auto insurance system?

Any other questions that you feel needed to ask. We need to hold Mike Beaudreau’s feet to the fire on this and not let him off the hook. He is going to try to ramrod his plan down our throats. I hope somebody will keep me informed of what goes on.

Thanks,

Don S