By: Diane Benjamin
Tonight the Bloomington City Council will hold more discussions on the Solid Waste program. Renner and Hales are not going to be happy until the fees are raised – they need the money for stuff they want, not stuff you want!
David Hales can’t make a decision on anything. The consults hired to fix the out-of-balance fund were ignored. Ideas floated like charging by how many people live in your house were immediately declared “stupid beyond belief” by citizens. (Did the guy who came up with that one get fired? NOPE!)
When we last left the discussion, Alderman Fruin was upset that people just pile the smallest container above its ability to close. Another DUH for everybody but some of the Council. Also floated was a $50 per bucket charge – another faulty idea that I think was imagined by the same guy with the “charge per person idea”.
Common sense is missing from any proposals made by City personnel. The intent is to force fee increases because it can’t be solved any other way.
It’s really pretty simple. Pick up Refrigerators, stoves etc only 1 day a month. Junk can be put out 24 hours in advance of that day. Issue fines if they are on the curb earlier $25. It may take some time to acclimate the citizens to the change, so don’t gouge them initially. If citizens can’t wait for the specified day, they can drop it off at the dump or a recycler themselves. Maybe a new business picking up the stuff will sprout and drastically reduce the need for that City service.
Curb shoppers can have a great time grabbing junk before the City – that solves part of the landfill problem too.
Save more money by taking the Coliseum upgrades off the budget. CIAM’s contract expires in 1 year and they have proven themselves untrustworthy. Citizens have no confidence in their ability to be truthful in what needs replaced and what doesn’t. Fire them when the contract expires and either (gasp) CLOSE IT DOWN, or get competent management and reassess the needs, making sure they aren’t just wants.
Magically $2,510,000 appears, the solid waste fund is closer to balanced, and for once the Council will have made a decision not forced down their throats by Renner and Hales.
If Stearns or Lower suggest anything close to this, it will fail. The potted plants hate common sense – the vote will be 2-7. Kissing Hales and Renner’s feet is much more important than working FOR the citizens. It makes for good theater though, watch it on-line tonight. It’s a little like watching fish flop on dry land – 7 of them!
Stay tuned for the $10,000 a year App to report potholes. Fixing them would be easier, but not possible under the current leadership. I wonder if citizens are supposed to snap a pic while driving?
If I know IT that $10,000 will balloon into a larger amount. $10,000 to purchase then comes the maintenance contract Every IT software company I know offers it. Ask yourself are you still using Microsoft Windows 98? Also what servers aka hardware are they using? Opps uh oh someone didn’t factor that in. Sorry Best Buy doesn’t sell what we need. What platform will it be running on, Oracle, Linux, Microsoft ? Now we’ll need a site license for that too. What about security? Who’s going to be the administrator? Are they going to have to contract for that or pay to train someone. Haha and you thought $10,000 was it, fools.
Common sense tells me if they had been maintaining the streets like they should have been then no reporting system would be needed.
I know that will give each and everyone of you the feeling that you are connected with the city with a warm and fuzzy feeling using this app. Now if it only awarded you points to reduce your tax bill for doing work for the city that would even be better.
I should maybe add how does it feel to live in the village of socialism? Ask not what your city can do for you but what can you do for your city. They don’t work for you but rather you work for them paying taxes and doing their work too. What will it be next, stop by and pick up your free (all though you paid for it) street patching materials, instructions included.
You are offering common sense ideas regarding the solid waste program. I just wish there were more vocal citizens offering similar common sense suggestions rather than petty, self-serving solutions. Those actually doing the dirty work of collecting the bulk waste should be consulted. I’d imagine getting some input from those who have no political agenda would be enlightening.
Alderwoman Stearns asked for their input, I will be watching tonight to see if the City got any.
There are common sense ideas but they are totally ignored by the current regime at city hall.
I do wish Sam Kelch would launch some kind of campaign. I feel he is a viable candidate and could defeat the dreaded Karen Schmidt. She has never had a solid opponent up until now and for some reason many of her constituents epitomize the term “low information voters.” I have not seen so much as a yard sign supporting Kelch and that is truly a shame. I think Kelly has a decent chance because we are doomed with Schmidt, Buragas, Painter, and Haumann.
Unfortunately he passed away a few weeks ago
If in the dark of night a disgruntled citizen discards an old refrigerator at the curb of the city managers residence if this bulk waste charge is passed, would the city manager be billed for it? Touche`