Mayor Phil Rice's home
City of Anoka
Mayor Rice's Shifting Number of Trucks
When an elected or appointed city official talks about an issue to such an extent that they start talking in circles, leading to statements that are factually false, the public should pay attention.
At the council meeting of October 28, 2019, Mayor Phil Rice proclaimed, "... because I'm saying I've got three different cans out in front of my house next Monday. And there's at least six or seven companies doing business times three..." (See 10/28/19 city council meeting transcript, page 7)
For residents who are unaware, Mayor Phil Rice lives in a $450,000 home on the Rum River located at 1503 2nd Avenue, just south of Main Street.
(Yes this is public information not only because he is the mayor, but because all property records are public information posted on the Anoka County website.)
The first point to focus on, is Mayor Phil Rice's claim that there are at least "six or seven" companies. Taking Mayor Phil Rice at his word, there could be more. Maybe the city has eight or ten companies, right?
Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice (GHCC) knows how to find the answer to how many residential haulers there are in Anoka. We just looked at the city website. According to city hall, there are only six licensed residential haulers. The city does not have seven, eight, or ten haulers... only six. (see city website)
Because of the actions of the 2015 city council, that number can only go down because the city council changed the law to reduce the number of haulers as companies bought out each other or leave the city.
GHCC has uncovered information that leads one to believe that Mayor Phil Rice was simply making up false claims at the October 28, 2019 meeting to sensationalize the issue. It certainly sounds good to say there are dozens of trucks from lots of companies driving in front of his house, right?
At the city council meeting of December 9, 2019, Mayor Phil Rice states, "...you have some haulers that are hauling very few cans in the city." (See 12/9/19 city council meeting transcript, page 14)
GHCC has confirmed exactly this point. Of the six licensed haulers in the city, some have very few residential customers and therefore only drive small portions of the city.
In October, Mayor Phil Rice proclaims that there are six, seven, or more haulers on his street. In reality, only six residential haulers are licensed. Then in December, Mayor Phil Rice admits that some of these six residential haulers are hauling very few cans in the city.
Yes, Mayor Phil Rice is talking in circles. So what is the truth?
Bloomington Public Works Director Karl Keel is a source of information on this topic.
During Bloomington's discussion of this issue (they have been in court for five years now on their government managed trash collection program) some city councilmembers proclaimed that there were seven different companies driving every single road in the city, since they had seven licensed haulers at the time. Bloomington Public Works Director Karl Keel said, not true. The city estimated that on average only four companies of the seven would serve a particular street or neighborhood.
Rather than believe Mayor Phil Rice's talking in circles, let's look at the facts.
Anoka has six licensed haulers. Some of these six are hauling very few cans in the city. Bloomington found that only half actually serviced any one street or neighborhood. A logical and educated estimate would say that on average, only three licensed haulers serve a particular street or neighborhood in Anoka.
In addition, whenever Mayor Phil Rice claims X number of hauler vehicles are driving down city streets, whether that is 20, 50, 100, or whatever he proclaims on any given day of the week, the reality is that Mayor Phil Rice's wild guess can be cut by 50% or more to bring things back to reality.
Updated 2/1/20
Mayor Rice's Shifting Number of Trucks
When an elected or appointed city official talks about an issue to such an extent that they start talking in circles, leading to statements that are factually false, the public should pay attention.
At the council meeting of October 28, 2019, Mayor Phil Rice proclaimed, "... because I'm saying I've got three different cans out in front of my house next Monday. And there's at least six or seven companies doing business times three..." (See 10/28/19 city council meeting transcript, page 7)
For residents who are unaware, Mayor Phil Rice lives in a $450,000 home on the Rum River located at 1503 2nd Avenue, just south of Main Street.
(Yes this is public information not only because he is the mayor, but because all property records are public information posted on the Anoka County website.)
The first point to focus on, is Mayor Phil Rice's claim that there are at least "six or seven" companies. Taking Mayor Phil Rice at his word, there could be more. Maybe the city has eight or ten companies, right?
Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice (GHCC) knows how to find the answer to how many residential haulers there are in Anoka. We just looked at the city website. According to city hall, there are only six licensed residential haulers. The city does not have seven, eight, or ten haulers... only six. (see city website)
Because of the actions of the 2015 city council, that number can only go down because the city council changed the law to reduce the number of haulers as companies bought out each other or leave the city.
GHCC has uncovered information that leads one to believe that Mayor Phil Rice was simply making up false claims at the October 28, 2019 meeting to sensationalize the issue. It certainly sounds good to say there are dozens of trucks from lots of companies driving in front of his house, right?
At the city council meeting of December 9, 2019, Mayor Phil Rice states, "...you have some haulers that are hauling very few cans in the city." (See 12/9/19 city council meeting transcript, page 14)
GHCC has confirmed exactly this point. Of the six licensed haulers in the city, some have very few residential customers and therefore only drive small portions of the city.
In October, Mayor Phil Rice proclaims that there are six, seven, or more haulers on his street. In reality, only six residential haulers are licensed. Then in December, Mayor Phil Rice admits that some of these six residential haulers are hauling very few cans in the city.
Yes, Mayor Phil Rice is talking in circles. So what is the truth?
Bloomington Public Works Director Karl Keel is a source of information on this topic.
During Bloomington's discussion of this issue (they have been in court for five years now on their government managed trash collection program) some city councilmembers proclaimed that there were seven different companies driving every single road in the city, since they had seven licensed haulers at the time. Bloomington Public Works Director Karl Keel said, not true. The city estimated that on average only four companies of the seven would serve a particular street or neighborhood.
Rather than believe Mayor Phil Rice's talking in circles, let's look at the facts.
Anoka has six licensed haulers. Some of these six are hauling very few cans in the city. Bloomington found that only half actually serviced any one street or neighborhood. A logical and educated estimate would say that on average, only three licensed haulers serve a particular street or neighborhood in Anoka.
In addition, whenever Mayor Phil Rice claims X number of hauler vehicles are driving down city streets, whether that is 20, 50, 100, or whatever he proclaims on any given day of the week, the reality is that Mayor Phil Rice's wild guess can be cut by 50% or more to bring things back to reality.
Updated 2/1/20