Town of Paradise Valley Independent Responses: July 25, 2016

*What do you think of the town’s current free-market system as it pertains to both trash and recycling services for local residents?

As a planning Commissioner I have been working with staff and fellow Commissioners on a number of initiatives the Council commissioned for us to review called the ‘Quality of Life’ issues. Our role as commissioners is to define the scope and to quantify the desired outcomes.

Among these issues discussed is recycling and trash collection. Right now the Town of Paradise Valley has a free-market system offering residents the ability to choose their own trash hauler. A few of the providers currently serving the Town include: Area Disposal, Republic Services and Waste Management.

The challenges we’re seeing in the Town with so many providers is:

·       Constant daily noise, many times beginning before 6:00 AM

·       Containers placed on streets throughout the Town every day because providers use different days each week for scheduled pick up

·       Safety concerns with trash trucks vs. pedestrians

·       The constant wear and tear on our streets is significant

*As the town looks to possibly amend its existing system and potential service providers, do you think the town should pursue a single-carrier system gained through a formal bid process?

I think it’s definitely worth exploring but I want to assure residents I don’t think the Town should be looking to get into the sanitation business or creating a sanitation department. With that said, looking at possible solutions to the challenges we face by having multiple providers is a good thing.

Other municipalities have successfully found solutions by contracting with a single hauler for residential trash pickup. This solution keeps us out of the trash business and helps reduce daily noise, reduces safety concerns and helps minimize our annual asphalt and street maintenance costs by having less trucks on a daily basis. Residents are expected to see a reduction in fees based on the size of the contract with the Town.

All of this could be accomplished without creating more overhead or government.