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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-03-01, Page 29THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012. PAGE 29.Morris-Turnberry explores automated collectionMorris-Turnberry councillors haveasked for a quote on bi-weekly pickup of garbage and recycling in both urban and rural areas before going further down the road to automated collection. At their Feb. 21 meeting councillors were considering a proposal from the Bluewater Recycling Association (BRA) to provide large bins on wheels for householders for both their garbage and recycling. These bins can be picked up by the BRA truck without having to have someone get out to empty them as is the case with blue boxes and garbage bags. It also speeds up the collection. The proposal was that householders would no longer be charged a bag tag fee but would pay an annual fee on their taxes according to the size of container they used. A small bin, which holds the equivalent of two garbage bags, would cost $80 a year. A medium bin, holding the equivalent of four bags, would cost $120 a year. Alarge bin, holding six bags worth,would cost $160 a year. Recyclingbins would cost $40 a year.The original proposal from BRA President Francis Veilleux last April called for maintining collection every week in urban areas and bi- weekly in rural areas. Discussion on the issue took an abrupt turn when Councillor Neil Warwick pointed out that a householder creating the equivalent of two bags of garbage a week in a rural area would have to get a larger bin than someone with the same amount of garbage in an urban area. Two bags a week picked up every week would require a small bin, costing $80 a year while the rural resident would have to get a medium bin costing $120 a year. The urban resident would pay less and have the convenience of weekly collection. “If those in rural areas can get by with pickup every other week, why can’t people in urban areas,” wondered Councillor Jamie Heffer. Councillor John Smuck agreed there was an unfairness for people inrural areas to get less service thanthose in the hamlets.Deputy-Mayor JasonBreckenridge raised the concern of handling and placing the large bins in rural areas, after taking one of the medium bins around the municipality and photographing potential problems. If people have a laneway on the side of the road where the trucks will pick up, there’s probably room for bins to be left in the entrance to their driveway, he said. For those with lanes on the opposite side of the road from the pick-up, it may be necessary to create a flat area for the bins to sit or they might tumble into the ditch. The two concerns led to council passing a motion to ask BRA for a new quote on the cost of bi-weekly collection in both urban and rural areas with the possibility of pickup on both sides of the road in rural areas as has already been proposed for the hamlets. There were other concerns raised by councillors. Nancy Michie, administratorclerk-treasurer, explained that if thesystem proceeds, BRA wouldcontact householders to see whatsize of container they wanted and people had the option to not take any at all. But in North Perth, where a similar system is in place, there’s a minimum $10 charge for anyone taking garbage to the landfill, even as little as two bags. That prospect upset Councillor Jamie McCallum. “Most of us during the election were against a $5 fee to drop off garbage that thelandfill,” he said. “I can’t justify a$10 fee when we fought to scrap a$5 fee.”Councillor David Baker worried there wouldn’t be room for two vehicles to meet if the bins were set on the edge of the road on some rural roads. Michie pointed out that before the implementation of the system there would be public meetings to get ideas from people about possible problems. 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