Athens Agenda Setting Meeting

Jordan Varner

"We're really recommending getting rid of that service altogether," Athens-Clarke Manager Alan Reddish said of the current backyard pickup service provided to Athens residents in an agenda setting meeting on April 17th, 2008.

The Athens-Clarke Solid Waste Department have asked the Athens-Clarke County Commission to raise fees for garbage pickup services and eliminate backyard trash collection altogether. They proposed the curbside pickup fees be increased from $2 to $7 per month. The department also recommends raising the backyard pickup fee from $12 to $17 if the service cannot be eliminated altogether.

“Athens must be the only community left that still does backyard pickup. Obviously a good way to fix that is by raising fees,” said County Commissioner David Lynn.

Waste Department workers feel that the current backyard pickup rate is seen as unreasonably low considering this high-level service and what is required of them for the task.

The proposed policy change would affect 3,800 of the 9,600 county residents that subscribe to the service.

George Maxwell, a County Commissioner expressed concern for those unable to participate in curbside pickup if the service should be eliminated. He encouraged an exemption form be made available for those residents in need of assistance. Reddish explained that the county would continue to offer backyard pickup for only those customers who are physically unable to bring trash to the curb. He said there would be an exemption form made available through the police department website for those specific residents.

David Lynn commented that his mother, an Atlanta resident, was over 70-years-old and that the city had always been very helpful in helping her dispose of her trash. She simply calls the trash company and they come by the house to pick it up for her. The city offers her this service at a very reasonable price and is very helpful, said Lynn. He said that Athens residents, who still required backyard pickup like his mother, would still be in good hands.

Kathy Hoard, another County Commissioner, was the only member that voiced in favor of keeping the backyard pickup service, reasoning that landlords have a hard time getting residents to pull their trash cans to the curb and bring them back after they're emptied.

Other commissioners withheld their opinions on the proposed policy change for further discussion in the near future. The issue of backyard-pickup elimination and increasing curbside fees will be addressed in a scheduled-vote-meeting to take place on May 6, 2008.