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By Staff
Letter writer didn't tell entire story
Editor,
One of your regular writers needs to tell the rest of the story. What the city is doing is combining pickup of both garbage and yard waste using the same equipment.
Yes, the writer stated about $1.3 million is being spent, but he didn't mention that the county was not interested in providing both services. He also failed to mention that Waste Management attended the meeting when the council held a public hearing on the subject. The mayor told Waste Management, "Make us a proposal." All they wanted was garbage pickup.
So the council is still left with the same old problem of what to do with the yard waste that is piled up in the streets for weeks, making our neighborhoods smelly and trashy looking.
The brush trucks that the city are currently using were designed to pick up brush–nothing else. For the removal of grass, shrubbery clippings and leaves, they are extremely ineffective.
By using the containers that the city is providing and the automated trucks, the city's goal is to provide you with a weekly pickup for yard waste. By using the new trucks with one man each, it will only take about 30 to 45 seconds to empty a container and be on to the next stop.
Under the current system, how long does it take one truck and sometimes two to three men?
This council is doing something that will benefit every front door within the city of Hartselle, not just their own neighborhoods.
No, we don't live in a fantasyland. We don't have any magic wands that we can wave around and fix everything!
But we do have a good council that is working hard, have their hearts in the right place, and are trying to do what is best for each and every one.
Donald E. Hall
Hartselle
Pear trees aren't a safety hazard
Editor,
I understand from newspaper information that the State of Alabama Department of Transportation is pursuing a program of cutting down trees in medians statewide.
The excuse seems to be that the trees pose a safety hazard. I cannot address this issue as to other locations, but the lovely pear trees that line our Highway 31 median in Hartselle are in no way a safety hazard.
A number of trees have been hit by motorists over the years and deterred the motorist from crossing the median into the on-coming traffic. How much worse would it have been had there been a head-on collision with another car?
If the state deems a pear tree a hazard, what about the massive concrete dividers all along most of the major highways in the state?
The tree-planting project began in the late 1980s in an effort to beautify Hartselle…and it has succeeded. What a beautiful sight as we enter our community to see the clean medians and the beautiful trees!
Prior to that, the medians were an avenue of debris. In the years since, Hartselle Beautification Association (who initiated the project) has lovingly maintained the medians, pruned, mulched and sprayed the trees, and added more as needed.
Many of the hundreds of trees were donated by individuals as memorials to loved ones. They stand as a living memory to many who are no longer with us and are very important to dozens of families.
Several years ago, the issue was raised that the trees near the crossover lanes obscured the vision of those in buses and utility trucks as they were making a turn. Immediately, HBA had those offending trees cut. Presently, there is not a single tree that is a danger to those turning vehicles.
I understand that this "knee-jerk" decision by the Department of Transportation was made as a result of a lawsuit having to do with a fatal accident in Vestavia. (Would not the accident have happened if the auto in question had hit a concrete divider, a power pole or, even worse, crossed over into oncoming traffic?)
I hope that many people see the fallacy in this thinking and oppose the decision.
If you have concerns about this matter, please let your mayor know with a letter or email to his office.
Perhaps if he is aware of the community's interest and emotional investment in our trees, he can provide some resistance to the decision to cut them.
Linda Webster
Hartselle
Community thanked for support
Editor,
Roundtop Community Church and Dwight Looney would like to thank everyone for their support of the benefit singing Jan. 28 for Dwight.
May God bless each and every one of you who have given so generously. We especially want to thank the Glory Road Quartet and the Fellowship Quartet for all they gave to make this event a huge success.
Special thanks also to the 1963 Falkville High School class and to all who assisted with the two trips to Ohio.
Roundtop Community Church and Dwight Looney