By Vonna Posey, Letter to the editor:
I am writing to you to make you aware of an oversight in our city’s municipal code regarding their newly enacted compulsory garbage service, which went into affect this year. These codes encourage irresponsibility and mismanagement of natural resources by increasing additional waste to our landfills. They penalize our longtime city residents, or newly annexed in residents, like myself, who have been practicing being “green” and reducing our carbon footprint (in my personal case for over 38 years).
We have no need, want, or use of the garbage services the city provides. This compulsion takes away our freedom of choice to be responsible for ourselves. It penalizes our continued efforts to maintain a healthy environment for our children and grandchildren.
Instead of being rewarded for reducing garbage added to our landfill by efficiently managing our refuse through recycling, composting food and yard waste, we are punished with fines and the threat of imprisonment for not participating.
MMC 7.08.110 shows that residents will be required to pay $23.94 per bi-monthly (that’s just for the smallest bin of 36 gallons). If we don’t pay this
we will be “punished” according to MMC 4.02.040(3)(g) This punishment includes a first-time fine of $150, a second fine of $300, and a third fine
of $1,000 along with imprisonment for 90 days and charged with a misdemeanor – all because we didn’t want to buy what the city is trying to sell.
If I went ahead and paid for the compulsory service that I would not use, the city would charge me $143.64 for the year – all for nothing.
Either way, to my way of thinking, this is theft.
Our City Council members are in the privileged position of creating laws and changing municipal codes. Their position of oversight allows them to create options that encourage responsible management of waste. In the five months I’ve been interacting with the utilities department, council members and planning commissioner, my objections were listened to, but either ignored or I was told, “We are not interested in changing the municipal codes,” “that’s just the way it is” and “there is no unique criteria that allows for you to be exempted from the service.”
Here are the ideas I offered to the City Council for their consideration:
1. Amend the code. Make a provision for our responsible citizens who self-govern their waste management that request in writing to be exempted from
compulsory garbage pickup and its fees due to their preference of not needing, wanting or using their services.
2. Provide 10 or 20 gallon bins for monthly refuse at a minimal charge of $3-$5 (fees based on bin size) and use the city’s monthly recycling service.
3. Encourage increased use of the recycling bins purchased by the city with our tax dollars by offering a credit to those who faithfully use them just as their competitor, Waste Management, has for their elective users.
4. Encourage increased use of the recycling bins for yard waste management and food composting. When participates choose to use them they’ll receive a
financial credit toward reduction and possible elimination of their garbage fee.
The last three options have the potential to generate additional revenue for the city.
Are you interested in increasing the freedom and personal liberty of Marysville citizens along with reducing the impact of waste being thrown into our bulging landfills?
Please write our council members today. Ask them to find a solution that is mutually beneficial to each of us allowing us to continue to manage our waste without incurring a bill and finance charges or the threat of imprisonment for services not needed, wanted or used. You can find their information on the web site cityofmarysville.gov.
Thank you so much for your help.
Sincerely,
Vonna Posey, Marysville
