Garbage contract a bad deal
By Staff
Editor,
Over the last few months, I have been reading how Hartselle Utilities and the government of Hartselle have been looking for ways to help out its citizens by lowering the garbage rates. A new contract was worked on with Morgan County Environmental Services to take over the garbage pickup, this contract was supposed to lower the rate for garbage pickup from $11 a month to $9.50 a month. This would save the average household in Hartselle $1.50 a month.
An article in the Hartselle Enquirer revealed that the new contract did not allow for curbside recycling. I would like to thank all of the citizens of this city for their support of curbside recycling. Due to this worthy uproar, members of the Hartselle City Council and other officials entered into a contract with BFI for curbside recycling.
By signing this second contract the new average garbage bill rose from $11.58 a month. The Hartselle City Council voted to round the bill to $11.60 per month. Two cents per household does not sound like too much, until you look at the whole picture.
According to Hartselle Utilities, as of June 30th, they collected garbage rates from 4,496 customers.
Two cents a month for 4,496 customers still only adds up to $89.92 a month or $1,079 a year. This amount may seem trivial when you consider that on one year, Hartselle Utilities would collect $625,843.20. How much profit is Hartselle Utilities making a year off of this contract?
If the main reason to change contracts for garbage pick-up was to reduce our rates, I would not like to think what would happen if they voted to increase our rates. The new contract, which was supposed to save Hartselle's citizens money, is now costing its citizens $32,371.20 more a year.
Is this new math?
Don Sanders
Hartselle
Pop Warner needs equal time
Editor,
In your June 10th paper I was reading and I came across an article on youth football and how they are trying to get a county league together.
I am President of North Alabama Pop Warner and we already have leagues established in Morgan and Madison counties.
We have over 39 teams with over 2000 kids across both counties. We have been in these counties for over 13 years.
Pop Warner is well organized and has over 70 years experience in youth football along with a firm base in academics, sportsmanship and team work. We were first in the area to have a youth football structure.
These spin-off leagues have no base structure except to play football with unlimited weights. We have strict rules to follow to keep the kids safe and keep it fair so all the kids involved in Pop Warner can play. We have a strong competitive nature, which makes the kids even stronger.
Our support comes from all over the United States. The NFL, Reebok , and NFL Players Inc.
We have a national web site PopWarner.com with links to other web site like Steve Young's on Youth football.
I would like to see equal time in your paper for the county league that has already been established for over 13 years which is North Alabama Pop Warner.
Steve Holt,
President North Alabama Pop Warner
