New Recycling Center Location Chosen
I saw a news item the other night about some phosphorescent clouds that had been forming over the East coast in the last month. The clouds literally “glow” during the nighttime hours. Scientists at NASA investigated the phenomena and discovered that the clouds are made up of carbon and methane gases trapped in the upper atmosphere. The “glow” is enhanced by ice crystals formed in the clouds at extreme altitudes.
The final verdict, the clouds are a side effect in our atmosphere of global warming.
Methane gas is a by-product of decomposing waste in landfills. To keep debris at landfills from creating a toxic swamp, landfill operators “vent” the area by driving pipes deep into compacted layers of trash and debris. This allows the methane gas to escape into the atmosphere. Cattle are also large creators of methane as they digest their food.
It is doubtful that most people will become vegetarians to help the environment, but there is something that can be done about landfills.
Every sheet of paper, every metal can, and every plastic container that is recycled lessens the effect of waste disposal on our planet.
The Raytown Recycling Committee recognizes this simple fact and has plans to do something about it. This Tuesday, the Committee will take its case to the Board of Aldermen to relocate the city’s recycling center.
After a thorough search of locations throughout Raytown the Committee chose to return the Recycling Center to where it was first opened – the Public Works Garage located at 6417 Railroad Street.
The location is centrally located and easily accessed from Raytown Road. The lot is fenced, well lit and secure. It can easily be monitored to control illegal dumping. It also holds the possibility of increased hours of operation in the future. Since the city owns the property, there will be no rental or insurance costs incurred.
The Committee has found that the market for recycled material has changed dramatically over the last ten years. By changing vendors who haul off the recycled material, the Committee estimates the city will earn up to $5,000 annually (based on current activity at the center).
With approval of the location, the Recycling Committee will have accomplished one of its two goals. The second goal, as directed by Mayor David Bower, is to create a comprehensive recycling program for all of Raytown.
Alderman Greg Walters, who is Chairman of the Committee, says the Committee has entered into discussions with the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to learn how other communities are moving forward with such programs.
“Raytown has a unique opportunity to take advantage of many grants and programs to kick-start curbside recycling”, said Walters. “The Committee plans to bring a proposal to the Board of Aldermen either this Spring or early Summer.”
Timing is important. Under Missouri State law, changes in how a city collects and disposes of residential waste, require a two-year notification of the public. According to Walters, the notification process is the next hurdle to be cleared in moving a recycling program forward.
Comments
When curbside recycling finally comes into effect, I will set my recyclables at the curb.
Greg, thank you for moving this forward.
Andy Whiteman
Thank you Greg for taking the time to do this.
We all know what some of these people think about
recycling and it's a shame.
But, that's the way it works here.
If these nay sayers would look at the possibilities and what
could be a small income for this city it might change their minds.
I have a recycle guy that pays us
.25 a pound for scrap steel
and even more for copper and aluminum.
If the proposed recycle station would have separate areas for
each type of material it would keep labor costs down and
sorting at a minimum. Any buyer of recyclables will pay a little more
if they don't have to sort anything and they can see what they are buying.
I wish the recycle Committee the best. They have an uphill battle
with those that don't believe recycling is important.
Again....curbside recycling is available right now through private trash haulers. Just remember though, that Deffenbaugh dropped it's curbside recycling efforts in Raytown because too few of its customers used the service to make it profitable. If enough folks want their haulers to provide the service, and it is profitable, then they'll provide the service.
Anonymous:
Greg quotes himself...he always does...he writes these "headline" items and refers to himself in the third person. Not too many others will quote him so he has to quote himself...that way, he appears to be more important than he actually is!
But..I will give him and his fellow committee members credit...they did ID a place to move the recycling center to. I hope the BOA acts positively to the proposal.
Laughing All the Way
Now if this is about making Deffenbaugh our ONLY trash hauler, then isn't this the same thing as the Walmart Tif and HyVee getting all of these tax breaks?
If this is about making Deffenbaugh our Only Trash hauler, then the BOA should vote against this, because it is not in the BEST interest of your City.
Greg, can you please clarify what this is really about? Is it about curbside Recycling or making Deffenbaugh our single trash hauler? If this is about a single trash hauler, then why is it a large corporation and NOT our Raytown's Only Locally Owned Trash Hauler?
My wife (before she was murdered) and I used to take aluminum cans to be recycled. We saved the money to go out to a nice dinner. The last time we took 2 car fulls of cans in and got over $90! They are making the cans thinner and the reimbursement will vary depending on the market, but there is money to be made!
The State of California (as do other states) have a deposit on cans and plastic beverage containers. This is another good idea but it creates a hardship on the stores who have to take them back. I have seen individuals walking the beaches picking up cans for reimbursement. A deposit tends to cut down on litter.
Greg always writes in the third person. It sounds better than using the pronoun "I".
Andy Whiteman
If they ever decide to go to one trash hauler it would have to be put out for bid but that does not necessary mean that they will take the lowest bid. They say that they have the option to take the bid that they feel will do the job best without any problems. But if Deffenbaugh were to bid I personally hope they do not use them because they will be expensive. I hope they would try to find another hauler and with the city businesses that hauler would make a lot more money in the long run if they added recycling to their business. I do not understand why all haulers don't offer it anyway. I would rather pay a local hauler than one from Kansas or Indep. or Lee's Summit.
You know, there is one execption to the bid rule the city is famious for they only use one enginering company. Oh yes, that's where I got the exception to pick who they want. I know for a fact that that has never come before the board in several years. They don't even put out bids anymore for enginering company unless that has changed just recently. They don't know if anyone else could do the job as well or not because no bidas are let.
Back to recycling, GOOD JOB to everyone on the recycling committee and keep up the good work.
The broader questions is why none of the 'local' trash hauling companies offer recycling service. Could it be that there is no financial incentive for them to do so without a lucrative exclusive contract?
A power point presentation by members of the Recycling Committee will be presented.
The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday night (March 4th) at Raytown City Hall. The item is scheduled as the first order of business before the Board of Aldermen.
The public is invited to attend.
Since living in a place with curbside recycling, it has made me realize just how much I actually throw away. Jars, cans, newspapers, boxes, jugs.. it helps my conscience to know that those things aren't going to a landfill.
Maybe workshops on recycling and reusing items could be offered as well, to gain public support. You'd be surprised at how much you can do.. reusing glass jars, using coffee grounds for plants and gardens, using newspapers to clean glass, etc.
Is it too early for the Raytown Composting Facility? (I'm kidding)
to have only one hauler in Raytown was Jim Aziere.
If my memory serves me right it was because somebody
hauling refuse on a flatbed trailer dropped something in front
of him.
There is no way that a city or town should stop people from
picking their own hauler. Though it wouldn't surprise me if
they tried. However if there are some haulers out there that
are unsafe they should be told to fix problem areas or get tickets
until they do.
Very few are as good looking and clean as Flynn's service
trucks are. But, there are some other companies out there that you
don't want to be caught behind.
Recycling is the way of the future, after all, in time we will run out of
places to dump refuse.
Remember we can make garden compost out of just about every thing we through away in the kitchen. Almost anything except meat or fats
will make great compost and not smell up the neighborhood.
Trash and recycling are 2 seperate issues requiring seperate trucks. Why can't people chose their own trash hauler and if necessary, the city can put out a contract for recycling?
I hope people attend the BOA meeting and speak out on this issue if it is important to them.
Pat, you answered my question. I was wondering why my last dog was aggravated by garbage trucks. Obviously they were the garbage trucks you don't want to be behind.
Jen has a good idea. A Raytown Composting Facility would be a money maker. When my lawn person mows, I instruct him NOT to pick up the grass because I will NOT pay someone an outrageous fee to haul it off. The same with leaves: I have them mowed so they are chopped up. If someone wants to go to the extra work of picking up grass and leaves, the city should take advantage of this.
Andy Whiteman
I couldn't believe the BOA meeting tonight. It seemed like there was more arguement over recycling glass than over Pit Bulls when that came up! I hope the public shows up to comment on the glass issue and the location of the recycling center no matter which way they feel.
This is an important issue. If there is a packed room for Pit Bulls, it deserves to be packed over recycling too!
Andy Whiteman
I just spent 1/2 hour posting what I observed at the meeting last night. It timed out on me and dumped everything. I am running late now so will post sometime tonight. If someone who was there wants to post the details, that is fine with me.
The Post won't have it until next Wednesday. I think the Tribune gets the meeting coverage published since their paper comes out later in the week.
Andy Whiteman
It appears that this council has not gotten the message that our world needs us to do our part before it's to late. What are we going to leave for our children, grandchildern and future generatuions? Every child knows what we should be doing but it looks like our board is oblivious. How is this board going to tell there chilren and grandchildren that they just didn't care. I certainly hope they don't try to use we didn't have the money because kids are smarter than that.
I think the Mayor needs to read Roberts Rules of Order. But of course, this board only uses Roberts Rules when it convenient for them. Especially Schlapia she is quite good at cutting off people with Roberts Rules if she wants things to go her way. If they are going to use Roberts sometimes then they should use it all the time but they pick and choose when to use it. I don't think anyone of them have ever read it even once.
The thing that is in-excusable was how this BOA made the it look like the committee and David Frazier, who did the Presentation, had not done the job they were asked to do. Why would anybody want to be on any city citzen based Board or Committee when they see the way this BOA treated this committee the last 2 times they have taken their findings to the Council. No one accepts a position on these board or committees to not do want is asked of them. These committes take time out of your personal life and away from your fammilies and for this BOA to treat them like they were treated last night is uncalled for. The Mayor and the BOA owes the Recycling Committee, Mr. Frazier and the people of Raytown an apology. Mayor Bower owes Greg Walters an apology for in essence calling him a lier when they were talking about the glass pickup. That would be very easy to verify if that was the problem. What I have seen of Greg Walters is that he is to smart to make a statemanet that could easily be either verifed.
This board doesn't have the guts to just tell the people of Raytown they don't want to continue any part of the recycling center. They tried to stop it 3 years ago but Greg Walters was able to get a grant to help keep it open. Mayor Frank and her slected few did not like it then and those same people are still on the council today. Greg is the only reason we have the recycling center now.
I personally want to thank the committee and Greg for all of their worka and for putting up with this council. If it were me, I'ed tell them where they could go and what they could do with their committee. But that would give them what they want so on second thought I would not give them the satisfaction.
Hope all of you will be at city hall on Apri1 1,2008 at 7 p.m. for the public comment meeting on recycling and support Greg and The Recycling Committee.
I don't waste money on cable and assume there are others like me so will provide a brief summary:
At the BOA meeting 3/4 the recycling committee prsented a slide show of sites considered for a recycling center and explained why they were ruled out. The last option is a city owned property with poor access and near residential (which was why some others were ruled out).
The City is currently PAYING Deffenbaugh for hauling recycled materials away plus an EXTRA amount for glass because glass must be hauled to Oklahoma. The proposal was to cancel Deffenbaugh and give the contract to another company who would PAY the city on a per ton basis for recyclables. They will NOT take glass.
The board sidetracked to a heated debate if the City should stop the collection of glass. This is because the city must pay extra to haul galss to OK and there is some question if the glass is actually being hauled to OK or if the contractor is dumping the glass into a landfill and charging the city for a haul to OK. In my opinion this was a more heated debate than over the Pit Bull issue. I have a poor memory but can't remember such a heated debate by this board.
Mayor Bower brought the subject back on track to the location of the recycle center. I believe it was Ms. Melson who wanted public input. Mayor Bower also stated he wanted to hear public comments. I totally agree that public comment is appropriate. A public hearing was scheduled with Greg Walters asking to delay the meeting until April 1 to allow time for notice to be given to the public.
Mayor Bower was hopeful that someone who knows of land that the city could use for the recycle center would step up over this time period. My suggestion is that there are several strip mall type of shopping centers with large parking lots in Raytown. Perhaps one or more could be asked to use part of their parking lot. This would serve the needs of the city and attract the business of those dumping off recyclable materials. This would be of mutual benefit to the city and the property owner(s).
I hope all will be present to voice their comments no matter how you feel. If the public is not there, the board could very well assume the citizens don't care.
Truthfully this is one meeting where I decided to stay home with my dog; but after Greg's post I decided it was too important an issue not to be there to voice my opinion. I hope to see a large turn out at the 4/1 meeting!
Disclaimer: I am not a newswriter. This is my account of the subject to the best of my recollection along with my editorial comments. If anyone wants to correct me, please feel free to do so.
Andy Whiteman
in my shop. However I know what the recycling committee were
up against.
I've said this many times but, the elected officials don't give a damn
what the people of Raytown want or care about. Never have, never will.
They forget they are regular people just like the rest of us...........
That is until they get elected then all of a sudden they are better than anyone else in the city. Trust me, a super smart pill doesn't come with winning
an election nor does a beam of light from above shoot down and make them any better than the rest of us.
It does however come with a little power. It comes with the power to be arrogant, non caring and in some cases asinine. Most use it to the fullest.
The sad thing they also have the power to do good things.
The only people that tell these people how good they are, are each other and the few friends and groups they are close to.
It has been proven time and again if someone NOT in their good graces
comes up with a good idea, it won't matter. They will find some way to show their true intelligence and fight it. Another one of their antics is to,
in the process of shooting people down, they make them wonder why
they even tried to talk to these "elected" people in the first place.
It's no wonder this ship is sinking.
What you said is very true of national politics too. As for Raytown, we need a right to petition and a right to RECALL.
Maybe I am wrong, but I felt that the BOA's wanting to hear public comment was a good thing. At least it indicates a willingness to listen. I wonder if this includes a reaction based on what is said by the public? Apparently it did with Pit Bulls. I strongly recommend that the public turn out. If you can't attend, I think it would be helpful to contact your alderperson even though it won't be on public record, he/she will know how you feel.
Andy Whiteman
Mayor Bower, be careful, some of your conduct reminded me of Sue Frank's bullying tactics. Please don't go down that path.
I hope the papers make a big issue of the recycling issue so that the public is aware. I was looking for the Tribune but mine hasn't arrived. Last week I found it on Saturday and some weeks not at all. I would think this would be a good story for ALL papers.
I would think that if there was a big turn out like there was for the Pit Bulls, the board will have to listen. If there are as many concerned about recycling as I think, there should be a good turn out.
If the public is unhappy with the outcome of the recycling issue, we can voice it at the polls over the next 2 elections.
Andy Whiteman
The Committee Report was one of the best I have ever seen at City Hall. The recycling committee clearly did its homework.
Some of the Board members seemed to be grasping at ways to find fault with the proposals that were offered.
The part that I find baffling is why did the Mayor encourage Walters to make a motion that he (Walters) clearly did not want to make. Only to join other members of the Board in a chorus of attacks on the motion.
An earlier writer was correct. That was bully boy politics at its worst.
The Mayor could have gone all night without insulting the work done by the recycling group. But he did not.
That seemed to be the point where the exchange between Walters and Bower took place.
Andy is right about one thing. They all need to focus on recycling. Arguing over glass is a red herring and not central to the issue.
First, it is apparent that Mayor Bower wants public input on this
although I am convened most of the aldermen don't.
Second, It is well known that the rest of the aldermen don't like Mr. Walters.
As I have said before, if Greg would come up with a way to line the streets with gold at no cost.....the rest would vote it down.
So this recycling project might go a little easier if Greg wasn't the one presenting it to the board.
Third, if recycling is important to the people of Raytown they should go before
the board and let them know that it is important to them. One or two people won't show these elected people much. Remember they have a lot of self
serving groups, friends and organizations telling them what "they" want.
If you can't go before the board maybe email the Mayor to let him know your feelings on this. By e-mailing him direct you can be sure he will get it.
I know that recycling is important to Mayor Bower. He just wants to do
it right the first time.
As for emailing Mayor Bower, remember he has NO vote unless there is a tie vote. I suggest emailing your Alderperson with a cc to the Mayor or maybe calling your Alderperson then you know they got the message. There have been emails not received and this bacame an issue at one meeting recently.
The glass issue was off the main topic and I am glad Mayor Bower brought it back on topic.
True glass is a big part of recycling but if the industry says that they can't make a profit on glass, we can't force them to operate at a loss. It is a business, not a non-profit organization. If business doesn't want glass, we need to deal with that and not expect the city to expend funds handling glass.
Andy Whiteman
Andy Whiteman
Yoda says:
Greg,
Impatient you are.
The ways of the force you have yet to learn.
Amend your recycling proposal you must. From Obi-wan Knabe purchase the recycling location you should. Through the BOA like greased snot your proposal will soon pass.
Propose not. Do.
Come, Greg. Come to the dark side.
get a nice rebate. If we spend that money at
Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China. If
we spend it on gasoline, all the money will
go to the Arabs.
Neither will help the American economy.
We need to keep that money here in America,
so the only way to keep that money here at
home is . . . to buy beer or spend it on
prostitution.
These are the only businesses still in the
U S plowing their money back into the US
Dear Internal Revenue Service:
Enclosed you will find my 2008 tax return showing that I owe $3,407.00 in taxes.
Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper; dated 12 November, wherein you will see the Pentagon (Department of Defense) is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600.00 per toilet seat.
I am enclosing four (4) toilet seats (valued @ $2,400) and six (6) hammers valued @ $1,029), which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3,429.00.
Please apply the overpayment of $22.00 to the "Presidential Election Fund," as noted on my return.
You can do this inexpensively by sending them one (1) 1.5" Phillips Head screw (see aforementioned article from USA Today newspaper detailing how H.U.D. pays $22.00 each for 1.5" Phillips Head Screws).
One screw is enclosed for your convenience.
It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.
Sincerely,
A Satisfied Taxpayer
Obi Wan Kanobe.
That anonymous should be writer for SNL.
Andy Whiteman
You hit the nail on the head but you left out one
major country that takes a huge amount of money
out of our country, Japan.
I have never seen so many import cars on the road has
there is now. The profits for these go to Japan.
It's no wonder 65,000 jobs were lost last month and
over 20,000 the month before.
Not to mention American pride.....or the lack there of.
I guess people forget that Mitsubishi manufactured the
Japanese Zero that killed thousands of Americans.
Along with Kawasaki and Toyota that did the same.