Three political activist groups are joining together Saturday to protest Gwinnett County’s new trash plan, which begins July 1.

The Four Corners Tea Party, FreedomWorks Gwinnett and Gwinnett Citizens for Responsible Government have organized the protest, which will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the gazebo next to the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse on the Lawrenceville square.

Debbie Dooley, one of the event’s organizers, said the protesters will be urging the Gwinnett County commissioners to repeal the trash plan — and, in particular, remove the bill from homeowners’ property taxes.

“It’s our way of letting the commissioners know we remember their vote and we’re not going to forget it,” said Debbie Dooley, a Dacula resident and the Georgia grassroots coordinator for FreedomWorks. “We want to make sure they are held accountable for their vote.”

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

Despite an outcry from residents, consultants recommend county officials make trash pick-up mandatory for residents of the unincorporated area.

The study, which commenced after a judge threw out a solid waste management plan last year, also produced a recommendation that the county be divided into districts and the number of trash haulers be limited.

But Abby Goldsmith of R.W. Beck told commissioners Tuesday that they could choose more than one hauler per district, addressing the concerns of people who wanted the freedom to choose their garbage hauler while cutting down garbage trucks on the road and carts in the streets.

So what is the end message here? When you only talk to hand full of people you don’t really care what they think. Is the message delivered to the County a message that is tailored to the people paying the bills? How can the County not have any opinion at this point? After the Blue Ribbon Committee, after the consultants, after all the noise from the citizens then what are they listening to and hearing? Come on BOC you were elected to make decisions and lately you are awful at that. Please try to get something correct here and do what is best for the citizens of Gwinnett.

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

Gwinnett County officials received their first look a the Trash study done by RW Beck today.

The study results showed there was enough support to recommend required garbage collection at all residences. It did allow for exemptions, however, such as business owners with their own Dumpsters.

But there was a wide range of differences about other issues, such as establishing exclusive franchise districts and billing on property tax statements. Much of the polling data differed between those who attended the public forums and those who were randomly selected by computer.

More to come once the full study is released.

A property tax increase is back on the table for county residents, as a commissioner said service cuts to balance the budget have been too severe.

During Tuesday’s board meeting, Commissioner Kevin Kenerly called for county staff to devise a plan that would cost taxpayers an average of $14 more a month – or about two additional mills.

So Gwinnett here we go again. Commissioner Kenerly wants all of us to step up and sacrifice in the name of safety?  Where is the money going to go? What will it be spent on? Safety in law enforcement where its needed or more library hours? Give us the details so the citizens can understand and have the knowledge that’s needed to know what’s going on.

“Bold action is needed to keep Gwinnett County a preferred place to live, work and raise a family. I would ask the Gwinnett families to sacrifice with me.”

Now is the time AGAIN to make sure your voices are heard. Demand to know the details of Mr. Kenerly’s proposal.

Gwinnett County Board of Commissioner’s Contact Info

Also a great follow up article on this by Bob Griggs at TalkGwinnett.com:
First of Many Bad Land Deals Finally Exposed.

The next time you hear Chairman Bannister try to blame anyone but himself for the mess Gwinnett is in then please read this article. It highlights the true cause of the mess. Is this the only mess? I wish but deals and work like this highlight how bad it has gotten. From Land Deals, to Trash Plans to an unnecessary Stadiums its a wonder we have a county anymore.

Also after reading this article I have to ask those in District 1 what the heck were you thinking when you voted.

From the AJC article:

The purchase, made as the county faced a huge budget shortfall, is another in a string of land deals that have raised questions about the board’s financial stewardship and cozy relationships between some commissioners and developers.

In August, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published stories detailing similar and questionable purchases the county has made, or attempted to make, since 2007.

After reviewing the AJC’s reports, District Attorney Danny Porter last week asked for a special grand jury to investigate those land deals and others by the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners. After hearing from the AJC about this purchase, Porter said he would review it for possible grand jury consideration.

Though Lasseter said she made the best decision she could, she acknowledges now that it might not have been the best use of taxpayer money.

“I’m not perfect. Maybe I made a bad decision,” she said. “Maybe we should have had Lorraine Green vote on it.”

You think?

Engage Gwinnett Citizens Committee Members
Stakeholder Group, Representative

District 1, Kelly Kelkenberg

District 2, Kevin Kovalchik

District 3, Bob Griggs

District 4, Jeff Mahaffey

HOA, Paula Hastings

Citizens for Responsible Government, Lan Nguyen

FreedomWorks, Julianne Thompson

Environmentalist, Carol Hassell

Not-for-profits, Demetrius Jordan

Unity Gwinnett, Herman Pennamon

Asian Community, Cookie Lee

Hispanic Community, Jose Perez

Faith-Based, Norwood Davis

Young Professionals, Asif Jessani

Seniors, Bill Atkinson

Rotary, Scott LeCraw

Gwinnett Municipal Association, Randy Meacham

BOE, Rick Cost

Post Secondary, Julie Post

Community Improvement Districts, Chuck Warbington

Hospital System, David McClesky

Partnership Gwinnett, Mark Tibbetts

Council for Quality Growth, Michael Sullivan

State Delegation, Charles Swain

Constitutional Officers, Jim Pack

Courts, George Hutchinson

DA and Solicitor, Charlotte Nash

Athletic Association, Chris Whitlock

Small Business, Dave McMullen

Large Employer, Renee Byrd-Lewis

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Millicent Crawford, Duluth

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Dick Goodman, Suwanee

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Dan King, Duluth

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Paula Krone, Norcross

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Laurie McClain, Suwanee

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Jack Mason, Buford

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Keith Roche, Lawrenceville

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Keith Shewbert, Norcross

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Kip Stokes, Auburn

Publicly Self-Selected Citizen Representative, Glen Williams, Snellville

The firm hired to draw up a study for Gwinnett County’s solid waste plan told officials Tuesday the report should be completed by mid-October.

So we have to wait until October to see what the consultants are going to recommend. I find it interesting it that it takes that long to compile feed back from 600+ people when the majority of those said they wanted their own choice. So who was one of the 328 that were contact by phone? Would love to hear from you.

At a special briefing held at the courthouse in Lawrenceville, Abby Goldsmith of the consulting firm R.W. Beck reported it had collected opinions from about 650 people. Of that number, 330 had registered opinions at one of the eight public forums held this summer. Another 328 had been contacted by phone or e-mail.