Single trash hauler
Trustees accused of stalling on contract

Thursday, August 11, 2005

By CARLA SMITH
ThisWeek Contributor

Some Prairie Township residents are curious about to when trustees will vote on a contract for a single trash-hauler that will serve the entire township.

Bids were opened July 6 with Rumpke coming in as the lowest bidder. Since then, trustees have made no move to award a contract. Residents wanted to know at the Aug. 3 board meeting when the issue will be resolved.

Resident Jim Morrison asked trustees if they were stalling on purpose so residents wouldn't have the chance to to gather enough signatures on a referendum petition. The deadline for filing election paperwork is Aug. 25.

Peter Griggs, township attorney, said whether a trash contract can be the subject of a referendum is still up for debate.

Other townships that have awarded contracts to single trash-haulers have exercised statutory function under Title V of the Ohio Revised Code, he said. Therefore, contracts of that nature aren't subject to a referendum.

Prairie Township, however, is a limited home rule township and it has not been determined whether the same rules apply, Griggs said. That decision may have to be made in court, if a referendum petition is filed, he said.

As for when the trustees will vote on the contract, Griggs said that as of last week, the legal documents were still being prepared.

"How many residents would it take to contact you to make your mind up to vote against the contract?" resident Steve Kennedy asked trustees. "We're not talking about hundreds who don't want this, we are talking about thousands."

Throughout the process, trustees have voted 2-1 in favor of having a single trash-hauler service the township. Trustees Joe Wharton and Teresa Keller are for the contract; trustee Doug Stormont is against it.

"I'm still taking comments on pro and against," Keller said in response to Kennedy. "I am still considering."

Kennedy said he and others who oppose the issue will only need to collect 363 names in order to bring the issue to the ballot.

"If we were able to get 2,500 names, would that be enough to (sway) your mind?" Kennedy asked.

"I would consider it," Keller said.

Keller said she has received several phone calls at home about the trash issue. The phone calls have been equally split for and against the issue, she said.

"Many communities do this," she said. "The cost should be decreased and would serve a break for our senior citizens."

Resident Vivian Brown said she doesn't care if she pays a little more for her trash service. She uses Robert Cumberlander, owner and operator of Cumberlander Refuse, who has served the Lincoln Village area since 1967. Brown encouraged residents to call trustees about the issue.

"My dad was a trustee and he listened to the people," Brown said. "I'm a senior citizen and I don't care if I pay more for my trash to be picked up. I like Bob. Good service means something to me."

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