Community Meeting on Trash and Recycling Pickup in Lexington

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Suzie Barry

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Oct 5, 2017, 6:04:18 AM10/5/17
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The Board of Selectmen and DPW Staff are seeking input on a new trash and recycling collection contract.  The current contract with JRM expires on June 30, 2018. 

 

The Town is considering options for a new 5-year contract which include:

  • keeping the collection of trash and recycling as manual pickup (status Quo)

  • automating (use of carts) both the trash and recycling pickup

  • or automating the trash pickup and keeping the recycling pickup as manual 

Staff will present information on each option and solicit feedback for the BOS. 

 

Two public meetings have been scheduled (both presentations will have identical content): 

  • Wednesday, October 11th at 7 pm in Estabrook Hall (lower level) in the Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue

  • Thursday, October 12th at 8:45 am in the Community Center cafeteria, 39 Marrett Road

For more information or should you have any questions or comments, please contact Robert Beaudoin, Superintendent of Environmental Services, by phone at 781-274-8334 or by email: rbea...@lexingtonma.gov.

 

Thank you,

Suzie Barry, Chairman

Lexington Board of Selectmen

Deborah Strod

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Oct 6, 2017, 9:19:15 PM10/6/17
to LexTMMA
I asked Robert Beaudoin a question, and want  to share the answer with the TMMA list: 
If Lexington goes with automated  recycling, yes we would move to single stream recycling. 

Deborah Strod
TMM Pct 6
__________________________________________
From: Suzie Barry <suzieb...@gmail.com>
To: LexTMMA <lex...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 5, 2017 6:04 AM
Subject: [LexTMMA] Community Meeting on Trash and Recycling Pickup in Lexington

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Melinda Walker

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Oct 7, 2017, 10:58:53 AM10/7/17
to Lex TMMA
What is “automating (use of carts) for trash and recycling pickup?”

Thank you,

Melinda Walker
TMM Pct 8


On 10/6/17, 9:18 PM, "Lex TMMA" <lex...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Harry Forsdick

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Oct 7, 2017, 12:24:57 PM10/7/17
to Melinda Walker, Lex TMMA
Click here: https://goo.gl/JFGUVB to see a video of this in action in Newton.

For a little humor about the capabilities of these automated trucks, see:  https://goo.gl/BrSE2b

Regards,

-- Harry


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Wendy R.

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Oct 9, 2017, 2:52:23 PM10/9/17
to Melinda Walker, Harry Forsdick, Lex TMMA
I am unable to attend the meetings so I will make my comments here. My daughter in Watertown has automated service and in my opinion it is very inferior to the current service. Watertown has more streets with sidewalks and usually has less snow than we do.

"Automated" means that we all have special trash pails that have to be positioned so that the special trash or recycle truck can use two levers to lift and tip them into the top of the truck. There is only the one driver at the scene.

These special trash/recycle pails are large and cumbersome. They are heavy when full. For those who cannot just roll them out, without stairs, it is a big physical burden. I personally do not store my trash outside due to animals and I would not be able to maneuver the pails to the end of the driveway without steps from the inside. Currently I use plastic bags so that it is a size that I can manage plus I do not have to worry about pails that,when empty, can be blown into the street if I am not home when the trash comes.

There are many items of trash and recycle that do not fit conveniently into a pail but do not rise to the level of a "bulky item." Flattened cardboard boxes are an easy example. Owners are limited to their trash /recycle being able to fit in those pails or else not collected. This is very limiting, especially if trying to do a spring cleaning, clearing out a closet type of project.  I use Goodwill and other ways to try to repurpose things. 

We mostly live in houses here, not small apartments, so we have lots of odd shaped stuff and I think that Lexington residents will be very frustrated with automated collection. I have found the current disposal company and the type of service we now have to be terrific, responsive and flexible.  I have been very happy with it and I hope that we continue it.

Wendy Reasenberg
Precinct 8


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Vicki Blier

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Oct 9, 2017, 5:00:56 PM10/9/17
to Wendy R., Melinda Walker, Harry Forsdick, Lex TMMA
It would be great to hear from anyone who has lived in Newton, which is somewhat similar to Lexington and has automated collection.
... what other towns have it?

Wendy: why can't you just plunk your plastic bags into the required wheeled receptacle on trash day?  
Your concern about bulky items is something I hadn't though of, though.

Vicki Blier
Pct. 9

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Bridger McGaw

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Oct 9, 2017, 5:32:10 PM10/9/17
to v...@blier.net, Wendy R., Melinda Walker, Harry Forsdick, Lex TMMA
I too believe our current system is working just fine. The Watertown system is very tedious and creates traffic bottlenecks on every street they are surfacing much more so than the current trucks. It's not worth it. 
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Thomas, Ruth S

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Oct 9, 2017, 10:04:08 PM10/9/17
to Bridger McGaw, v...@blier.net, Wendy R., Melinda Walker, Harry Forsdick, Lex TMMA

Many jobs will be lost with an automated system.  



From: lex...@googlegroups.com <lex...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Bridger McGaw <bridgerfo...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 5:32:08 PM
To: v...@blier.net
Cc: Wendy R.; Melinda Walker; Harry Forsdick; Lex TMMA
Subject: Re: [LexTMMA] Community Meeting on Trash and Recycling Pickup in Lexington
 

Glenn Parker

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Oct 10, 2017, 11:31:05 AM10/10/17
to Lex TMMA

Actually, it's more of a tradeoff.  If the town spends less on trash pickup, that frees up money to spend on (possibly new) jobs and services that we also need.  That doesn't mean I think automated trash pickup is the right choice, but I don't think we would be causing any layoffs, and there might even be a net increase in employment, regionally speaking.


-Glenn

Raul Marques & Beth Falk

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Oct 10, 2017, 1:06:44 PM10/10/17
to Glenn Parker, TMMA List
Report from Newton

My 82 years old mother-in-law lives in Newton Highlands and she said that the trash pick up there is “fantastic”,  that there is never anything spilled.  They had it for years and she love it.  In the beginning they gave her a big barrel that she could not move, so they gave her a smaller one.  They gave her two, one for trash and another for recycling.  Anyway, she has someone else take them to the street.  I asked her about the big items problem and she said that she calls ahead and for $25 they come and take it.  Not a problem for her.

Raul



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Thomas, Ruth S

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Oct 10, 2017, 1:46:47 PM10/10/17
to Raul Marques & Beth Falk, Glenn Parker, TMMA List

He

re is a link to Newton's automated trash program.

http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/dpw/recycling/managing_solid_waste/




Brookline just began its program which is  "Pay as you throw"   I've been told there are two workers--the driver and another person who sets the barrels in the proper location.


http://www.brooklinema.gov/1365/HPAYT-FAQs



From: lex...@googlegroups.com <lex...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Raul Marques & Beth Falk <range...@verizon.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 1:06:41 PM
To: Glenn Parker
Cc: TMMA List

Subject: Re: [LexTMMA] Community Meeting on Trash and Recycling Pickup in Lexington

Fred Martin

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Oct 10, 2017, 5:14:21 PM10/10/17
to lex...@googlegroups.com
The standard Newton barrels are large and somewhat unwieldy to get to the street. Nevertheless it's a great system IF you have a short flat driveway. For others, not so much.
Fred Martin
Pct. 7

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Wendy R.

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Oct 11, 2017, 10:56:42 AM10/11/17
to lex...@googlegroups.com, Fred Martin
$25 for a special pick up a pretty steep price to pay for the odd discarded item here and there.  Not everyone in Lexington is rich. Remember that 10% of our population has "affordable housing" and they are not able to spend $25 on trash.

If we make it too hard, the stuff will just collect in people's houses/yards and become health or fire hazards.

Wendy Reasenberg
Precinct 8

Vicki Blier

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Oct 11, 2017, 11:18:58 AM10/11/17
to Wendy R., lextmma, Fred Martin
Wendy-
Let's see how Lexington's particular plan will handle bulky items.

Newton, according to their website, does *not* charge extra. In Newton you can, for free, put out up to five bulky items a week. They just require a phone call (as does our current trash hauler). Maybe Raul's elderly mother was paying someone $25 to take the bulky items out to the curb for her, which she would probably have to do no matter what her town's trash policy is.

Here's the link that Ruth Thomas posted:
http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/dpw/recycling/managing_solid_waste/#bulkpickup

In any case, the Selectmen are looking for feedback and if the Town is planning to charge for bulky items... that's an IF... yours would be very good feedback. I realize that you won't be able to attend either of the two feedback sessions, but maybe someone in the TMMA who's read this thread will address the issue in your stead.

Comment made as TMMA member, not as moderator
Vicki Blier
Pct. 9 

On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 10:56 AM, 'Wendy R.' via LexTMMA <lex...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
$25 for a special pick up a pretty steep price to pay for the odd discarded item here and there.  Not everyone in Lexington is rich. Remember that 10% of our population has "affordable housing" and they are not able to spend $25 on trash.

If we make it too hard, the stuff will just collect in people's houses/yards and become health or fire hazards.

Wendy Reasenberg
Precinct 8
On Tuesday, October 10, 2017, 5:14:22 PM EDT, Fred Martin <smar...@rcn.com> wrote:


The standard Newton barrels are large and somewhat unwieldy to get to the street. Nevertheless it's a great system IF you have a short flat driveway. For others, not so much.
Fred Martin
Pct. 7

On 10/10/2017 1:06 PM, Raul Marques & Beth Falk wrote:
Report from Newton

My 82 years old mother-in-law lives in Newton Highlands and she said that the trash pick up there is “fantastic”,  that there is never anything spilled.  They had it for years and she love it.  In the beginning they gave her a big barrel that she could not move, so they gave her a smaller one.  They gave her two, one for trash and another for recycling.  Anyway, she has someone else take them to the street.  I asked her about the big items problem and she said that she calls ahead and for $25 they come and take it.  Not a problem for her.

Raul


On Oct 10, 2017, at 11:30 AM, Glenn Parker <glenn....@comcast.net> wrote:

Actually, it's more of a tradeoff.  If the town spends less on trash pickup, that frees up money to spend on (possibly new) jobs and services that we also need.  That doesn't mean I think automated trash pickup is the right choice, but I don't think we would be causing any layoffs, and there might even be a net increase in employment, regionally speaking.

-Glenn

On 10/9/17 22:04, Thomas, Ruth S wrote:
Many jobs will be lost with an automated system.

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Bob Creech

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Oct 11, 2017, 12:08:17 PM10/11/17
to v...@blier.net, wendyle...@ymail.com, lex...@googlegroups.com, smar...@rcn.com
Other things for us to take into account: last week I watched a friend in another town load up his automated pickup containers with a bunch of (about 3 feet in length) pressure treated lumber and heavy plastic left over from a deck project. Construction debris and treated lumber are not allowed in Lexington. With one person on the truck sitting in the cab and operating the lift, no one is going to see what is in the container. So I guess that the visual inspection will go away. This may be a non-issue, or perhaps a small issue, in Lexington. A typical round trash barrel has a 32 gallon capacity and is about 32 inches high, including the cover, and 22 inches in diameter and they get heavy with 2 full kitchen trash bags. The containers used for automated pickup have about a 65 gallon capacity and are about 25" x 26" and about 42 inches high. If you want to take your trash barrel to the nursery for some mulch, the automated containers won't work.
I have no issue separating recyclables. The term single-source sounds good but it also sounds like a mess to me.

Bob Creech


-----Original Message-----
From: Vicki Blier <v...@blier.net>
To: Wendy R. <wendyle...@ymail.com>
Cc: lextmma <lex...@googlegroups.com>; Fred Martin <smar...@rcn.com>
Sent: Wed, Oct 11, 2017 11:19 am
Subject: Re: [LexTMMA] Community Meeting on Trash and Recycling Pickup in Lexington

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ajfr...@aol.com

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Oct 11, 2017, 3:29:45 PM10/11/17
to lex...@googlegroups.com
Hi all,

For those unable to attend the TMMA Information Session last night, the Appropriation Committee report and the TMMA Warrant Information Report are in the lobby of the police station until the Special Town Meeting on the 16th.

Andy Friedlich


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