Saturday, September 01, 2007

Middletown Council Meets Tues., 9/4/07

The scheduled meeting Sept. 17 is replaced by this meeting and the Recycling Meeting on 9/5/2007 - POSTPONED until ? Those neighbors on the Forest Ave. blog waiting for the traffic report will have to wait until Oct. They should request the planned planned presentation date is & request report copies.
What is on the agenda is ---- TRASH!
This is the site of the recent report "Solid Waste & Recycling Program Analysis" for Portsmouth/Middletown prepared for the Aquid. Island Planning Commission. This report recommends the Payt program as a short-term solution. It does have concerns about households being able to store 3 container bins. Hey, they should look inside my kitchen area. Where on earth am I supposed to store my inside daily trash in 3 bins??? And, if you don't, you'd be better off with a private hauler.
I hear more & more complaints about the logistics of the program and the availablity/cost of bags. People want the same system that Newport has. The comments I hear believe that this should be a basic component of paying taxes here. Me, too. This discussion won't show up until the second part of the meeting. This is the time to show & voice your opinion. While much talk has been made of the need for recycling (which brings haulers & the State a LOT of money), one might also make the argument that the State should be doing more at the landfill to use technologies that convert trash into power. Since any $ the State uses for recycling goes into the General Fund, the argument could be made that this is, in effect, another tax (sigh).
The Newport Co. Visitors Bureau is asking for 3 appointments. A lot of attention should be placed to consideration of these individuals. This group has a LOT of our money to spend. There are also appointments to the Library Board. Sadly, only two applied for the two openings. I've blogged before about how serious consideration to taking this board & the library itself out of the town's responsibility & running them independently as non-profits (like Newport & Portsmouth do). The same with the Senior Center who is asking for capital funds outside of their budget. I still pose the question on membership there with verifying data. We spend far more than any other community.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes Eileen, good point about requesting the planned presentation and report copies on the traffic study, will do if I don't have it handed to me before then.
I'm missing the transfer station already and it's not even closed yet. Do you believe the numbers when they say that two thirds of Mid. residents were already getting private trash pickup?
Not looking forward to those unsightly barrels being out in the streets...

Anonymous said...

The numbers using the trash station are easy to document with stickers sold- although some may be hauling neighbors' trash.
Newport does all right with the trash barrels. My street is full of them. This new plan is only supposed to be a temp system according to the report.
BTW, if there are still sidewalk problems of F. Ave.,you might try Public Works. The town is responsible for maintaining sidewalks after all.

Anonymous said...

One of my neighbors is going to call Public Works today to complain.
Temp system? I hadn't realized that. Where can I read about that part?

Unknown said...

It is a short-term solution.

SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM ANALYSIS Town of Portsmouth
Town of Middletown: http://www.middletownri.com/documents/dpw/Final%20Report%20-%20December%2012,%202006.pdf

"Middletown does not have the option to continue to utilize the local transfer station, and
development of a new transfer station will take the Town at least three years. Therefore for the short term, the best option for Middletown is to:
• Arrange for a town wide collection contract for curbside refuse and recycling collection
• Implement a user fee system
• Consider adding leaf and yard waste collection
• Investigate whether the selected hauler can tip refuse at the Portsmouth transfer station
as an option.
For the long term, Middletown should continue to investigate with Portsmouth the possibility of
developing a transfer station that both towns could use for transfer of solid waste and recyclables