Waste Management’s quick exit from providing residential garbage service in Springfield may stir up calls for reform of Springfield’s antiquated and inefficient system of private haulers contracted by individual homeowners. There is little enforcement of the rule that requires each residence to have trash service, so rampant fly dumping plagues neighborhoods. Maybe the city needs a Waste and Recycling Task Force, like the one I served on that was called together by Mayor Karen Hasara. Among our recommendations issued in October 2001 was an ordinance requiring all waste collection at the curb, rather than the alley, for more efficient collection. Later, only two decades ago, another garbage task force, formed by Mayor Tim Davlin, considered recommendations from The Springfield Project, which I represented. Among them was “some form of centralized billing such as putting a fee on the CWLP bill” and “move toward a system of one hauler per area of the community, to reduce wear and tear on streets and alleys and be more cost-effective for the haulers.” Come to think of it, maybe we don’t need another trash reform task force, but if there is one I’ll gladly turn over my files. –Fletcher Farrar, editor
This article appears in Lincoln’s new neighbor.
