At the rescheduled meeting on Sept. 11, PMUA Executive Director Dan Williamson said the authority has seen a 200-ton increase in recyclables, which he attributed to enforcement that started in April.
The need for stricter rules was announced in late 2012 (see Plaintalker post here). By May, inspectors had cited violaters with fines of $12,000, though at that point none had been collected. Williamson said Wednesday the authority has collected $75,000 to $80,000 in fines.
Williamson said authority staff is working to educate both landlords and tenants on recycling rules.
Receptacles are being painted blue, with both words and images to indicate items that should be separated and recycled. Containers for cardboard will be painted brown.
In other news, PMUA Attorney Leslie London said she will be meeting with the Association of Environmental Authorities to discuss proposed legislation that would allow a tax write-off for sewer fees. She will be seeking the association's support.
--Bernice
The embellishments to the conference room serve what purpose? The aggrandizement of a failed organization? Let's never lose our focus. the PMUA charges approximately 250% more than comparable neighboring communities. Let's never forget that to date it has been impossible to get anyone without Mr. Green's approbation endorsed as a Commissioner, and ask ourselves why? Let's not forget that the sensible financial goal should be to consolidate the facilities, rather than sprucing up the existing, and renting expensive spaces from outside landlords. I am confident that the people who payed the $80,000 in fines will be ecstatic that their fine money was employed to create an elegant conference room rather than being used to decrease their rates. The greatest service the Commissioners and executives can provide to the rank and file is to reduce the organizations costs so that the threat of dissolution is nullified, the employment of the staff thereby assured, and the public properly served. A meaningful gesture to these ends would be for those Commissioners who are still receiving patently illegal benefits, these benefits not being available to newly appointed Commissioners, voluntarily terminate them. If anyone agrees that the PMUA requires reform then the most effective an d perhaps only form of protest is to OPT OUT. There is virtually no saving to be had, but the deprivation of income to the PMUA puts pressure on the organization to reduce costs. When the PMUA demonstrates that it is operating at a fair and reasonable cost which is reflected in fair and reasonable rates then it will be time to use their services. Lastly, the Shared Service Fee is conspicuously excessive. The PMUA has consistently refused to provide the mathematical analysis for the proportioning of Home Collection vs Shared Service fees. Why? They can not do it. The Home Collection fee is artificial. It is determined by the amount private haulers charge and the Shared Service fee is the balance the PMUA needs to cover their exorbitant costs. It is our hope that the new Mayor will nominate some capable Commissioners who come form the world outside of local politics. Until the it is my hope that the present Commissioners will enjoy their new, splendid, conference room. William E. Kruse
ReplyDeleteKeep dreaming!!
ReplyDeleteIf everyone in the city of Plainfield decided to opt out, then what would be the future of the PMUA? I opted out and have been trying to get others to do so, but you know what, they're just to freaking lazy to do it.
ReplyDelete