Lexington
On March 20, 2014, the Lexington City Council directed the city administrator to hire a consultant to guide the city to government managed garbage collection. Council members claimed that terrible road conditions were the driving factor. There was no evidence provided to support this claim, and no consideration was given to the winter weather. It was anticipated that a consultant would cost the city $10,000 or more.
When it became obvious that the city was not going to inform the public of this action, Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice (GHCC) took the initiative.
Starting April 7, GHCC sent representatives out into the community to distribute information about the city’s actions, and encouraged residents to contact council members with their concerns. GHCC spent three days in the community visiting every household.
Residents responded by calling, emailing, and personally visiting their elected officials. The city council responded by calling an emergency meeting on April 10 to discuss the issue. It was apparent that few would know about this quickly called emergency council meeting, so GHCC circulated the meeting notice throughout the community.
At the April 10 meeting, the city council said that they were going to pause and appoint a citizen committee to gather additional information.
On April 17, the city council appointed a citizen committee. One council member and the city administrator were also on the committee. The council allowed the committee to meet in secret, stating that the committee did not have to comply with the open meeting law. It was later discovered that the committee met on April 28 and May 12. While consultants in support of government managed waste collection were invited to speak, garbage haulers were not.
On June 5, the council accepted the recommendation of the citizen committee of “not continuing with the process of organized solid waste collection at this time.” The committee stated that the city did not have enough money to hire a consultant. It was mentioned that if there actually were cost savings, it would take the city years just to break even.
There was no groundswell support for government managed waste collection by residents of the City of Lexington, and the city continues to have an array of service choices from four different companies.
In October, the incumbent mayor chose not to run for reelection. Mayoral candidate, and eventual winner of the November election, Mark Kurth spoke about government managed trash collection in a TV interview on North Metro Cable.
Mayor Kurth stated, "I served on the citizens committee for whether or not the city was going to make a decision concerning (organized) solid waste. I was against it, and I still am against it. It turned out, the people say that the garbage trucks destroy the roads. I looked at how old the roads were and every single road in Lexington, all of those roads were lasting 30 years. And that was with all the garbage trucks driving on it. That was with deferred maintenance. So overall our roads are lasting as long as they need to..."
In November, Mark Kurth was newly elected as mayor. Councilmember Betty Bailey, a supporter of government managed collection even though her mobile home park would have been exempted from the program, lost her reelection race.
Updated 1/18/16
On March 20, 2014, the Lexington City Council directed the city administrator to hire a consultant to guide the city to government managed garbage collection. Council members claimed that terrible road conditions were the driving factor. There was no evidence provided to support this claim, and no consideration was given to the winter weather. It was anticipated that a consultant would cost the city $10,000 or more.
When it became obvious that the city was not going to inform the public of this action, Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice (GHCC) took the initiative.
Starting April 7, GHCC sent representatives out into the community to distribute information about the city’s actions, and encouraged residents to contact council members with their concerns. GHCC spent three days in the community visiting every household.
Residents responded by calling, emailing, and personally visiting their elected officials. The city council responded by calling an emergency meeting on April 10 to discuss the issue. It was apparent that few would know about this quickly called emergency council meeting, so GHCC circulated the meeting notice throughout the community.
At the April 10 meeting, the city council said that they were going to pause and appoint a citizen committee to gather additional information.
On April 17, the city council appointed a citizen committee. One council member and the city administrator were also on the committee. The council allowed the committee to meet in secret, stating that the committee did not have to comply with the open meeting law. It was later discovered that the committee met on April 28 and May 12. While consultants in support of government managed waste collection were invited to speak, garbage haulers were not.
On June 5, the council accepted the recommendation of the citizen committee of “not continuing with the process of organized solid waste collection at this time.” The committee stated that the city did not have enough money to hire a consultant. It was mentioned that if there actually were cost savings, it would take the city years just to break even.
There was no groundswell support for government managed waste collection by residents of the City of Lexington, and the city continues to have an array of service choices from four different companies.
In October, the incumbent mayor chose not to run for reelection. Mayoral candidate, and eventual winner of the November election, Mark Kurth spoke about government managed trash collection in a TV interview on North Metro Cable.
Mayor Kurth stated, "I served on the citizens committee for whether or not the city was going to make a decision concerning (organized) solid waste. I was against it, and I still am against it. It turned out, the people say that the garbage trucks destroy the roads. I looked at how old the roads were and every single road in Lexington, all of those roads were lasting 30 years. And that was with all the garbage trucks driving on it. That was with deferred maintenance. So overall our roads are lasting as long as they need to..."
In November, Mark Kurth was newly elected as mayor. Councilmember Betty Bailey, a supporter of government managed collection even though her mobile home park would have been exempted from the program, lost her reelection race.
Updated 1/18/16
