Trash fuss
BY World's Editorials Writers
Monday, February 25, 2013
2/25/13 at 8:37 AM
In the early days of Saturday Night
Live, John Belushi played in a skit
called “The Thing That Wouldn’t
Leave.” He was a guest who, try as the
homeowners might, simply would
not leave. It was hilarious.
Tulsa has a slightly different version:
“The Trash Fuss That Won’t Go
Away.”
In our skit, the new trash system
comes to town and some of the citizens
won’t give up despising it until,
they hope, it goes away. It’s not so
funny.
Last year, the city seemingly resolved
the issue and settled down to
a trash system that works quite well,
That, however, is not good enough for
some.
The City Council is back in the thick
of it. This time a couple of councilors
are questioning the requirement that
residents bag their trash. Others are
critical of the rule that yard waste be
limited to 50 percent of the volume
of their trash carts. Councilors also
don’t like the provision that the trash
board can change rules without council
approval.
The new ordinance that the trash
board drafted would replace one that
outlines the rate structures, rules and
garbage definitions.
Whether the council has the authority
to change trash ordinances
is unclear. The city legal department
says giving the council authority over
the trash system’s rules would violate
the City Charter, which delegates
that power to the mayor. If the council
wants that changed, it might have
to call for a vote on a change in the
city charter.
As for the bagging of trash: Is that
such a difficult concept? If customers
can simply toss some paper towels or
Styrofoam cups into the can, imagine
what will happen when the can is
lifted and opened by the cart-grabber
in a stiff Oklahoma breeze. This ought
not even be an issue.
Setting limits on yard waste in garbage
cans is another straw man. OK,
set the limit at 50 percent. Who actually
believes that the pickup guys are
going to look inside the bags to make
sure you’re not over the limit? We’re
not suggesting that anyone break the
rules. But, c’mon.
There is little love lost between the
council and the trash board. Some of
that blame goes to the trash board.
Still, enough of the trash fuss. For the
most part, the system is working well.
It’s time for this “thing” to leave.
Associated Images:
A mechanical claw tips a trash can into a truck in Tulsa. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World file
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