ATTA’ BOYS FOR ERIC, JIM AND BOB (AGAIN).

Mayor-elect Eric Struemph

 Last night’s meeting of the City Council brought out more opposition to Proposition A on today’s ballot.  Mayor-elect Eric Struemph wasn’t on the City Council when the trash/recycling contract was approved in 2009, but announced that he would vote “No” on Proposition A.  Struemph pledged to work with both supporters and opponents of the trash/recycling program to improve the contract in the coming months.

Councilman Jim Penfold

Second Ward Councilman Jim Penfold voted against the contract two years ago but also announced his opposition to Proposition A.  Penfold says the trash/recycling program has been well-received by the majority of residents in his ward and the rest of Jefferson City.
 

Councilman Bob Scrivner

 Third Ward Councilman Bob Scrivner also voted against the contract two years ago and has been a vocal opponent since that time, but last night he again emphasized that voting for Proposition A is not the way to address his concerns about inequities in the program for those on limited incomes.
 
Fifth Ward Councilman Ron Medin, Fourth Ward Councilwoman Carrie Carroll, and Second Ward Councilman Rich Koon (along with former council representatives Anita Randolph, Ken Ferguson and Cindy Layton) all voted for the trash/recycling program in 2009.  Medin, Carroll  and Layton have been active in the campaign to convince voters to vote NO on Proposition A on today's ballot.
 
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN FOR AN ATTA' BOY (OR AN ATTA' GIRL). 

GO TO THE POLLS TODAY AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A. 

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.

News Tribune Editorial Says "Don't Trash Progress - Vote 'No' On Proposition A"

Jefferson City’s trash and recycling contract is reasonably priced, practical and progressive.
Proposition A on Tuesday’s ballot would not be a change for the better and we urge residents to vote “no.”
Consider the big picture. Governments — whether federal, state or local — are established to advance the common good — or, in the words of the U.S. Constitution, “promote the general welfare.”
We believe the city’s trash contract does that.
We concede it is not perfect. Low-volume and high-volume residential users may experience a hardship or inconvenience because fees are not linked to individual volumes.
We support reasonable recommendations for improvements. Experience indicates this support is shared by officials with the city and its service provider, Allied Waste Systems.
Residents may request larger or smaller trash receptacles. In addition, disabled residents unable to wheel receptacles to the curb may request enhanced, personal service.
These accommodations are sensible because allowances for individual needs do not threaten the overall public good.
Proposition A proponents argue the proposal does not pose such a threat and simply promotes choice.
The ballot language, indeed, seems benign. It would eliminate the provision that trash be collected only by an “authorized” collector — which now is Allied Waste.
In practice, the change would remove cost controls, likely resulting in higher fees. Does anyone really believe a trash hauler can afford the expenses of manpower, vehicles and gasoline to serve one, or even a few, residents in a neighborhood?
The answer is readily available by looking at other cities and areas, including rural Cole County, where trash removal is more expensive.
Proposition A also could prompt a breach-of-contract lawsuit that could result in legal costs to taxpayers.
Most important, however, is the trash contract’s contribution to the common good.
What’s so good about it? Consider, since the contract became effective in 2009:
• Two million pounds of trash, previously unaccounted for, has been collected. Much of this trash was illegally burned, dumped or disposed of in commercial or residential receptacles or public venues, at the expense of other users and taxpayers.
• Six million pounds of items have been recycled, a seven-fold increase.
• Twenty-four percent of the city’s total waste tonnage now is recycled, which will extend the life of the landfill.
Although the trash contract can be improved, it generally has distributed costs reasonably and transformed Jefferson City into a cleaner and more attractive community.
Residents are being asked not to throw that away.
We agree. Vote “no” Tuesday on Proposition A.

When "Yes" Means "No"

You’d never guess it from the seemingly innocuous language of Proposition A on the April 5^th ballot, but this is one time when “Yes” really means “No”.  Proposition A purports to amend Jefferson City’s citywide trash/recycling contract to only require residents to have trash service but not to require an “authorized collector”.

The problem is that without an authorized collector there is no way to enforce the trash service requirement.  Police and code enforcement staff can’t be staking out everyone’s houses to make sure that everyone has a trash service.  We'd be back to rampant illegal dumping.

Even worse, eliminating the “authorized collector” puts Jefferson City in breach of a $2,000,000 contract with Allied Waste.  That’s the end of our trash/curbside recycling program and the beginning of a lawsuit costing us hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.  In short, Proposition A says “no” to everything we want in Jefferson City.

So how are you going to vote?

-          NO,  because you want to keep our curbside recycling;

-          NO,  because you don’t want to pay $5.00 to $10.00 more each month for trash service;

-          NO, because businesses don’t need to be paying any more for their trash service than they do now;

-          NO, because you don’t want to return to the days of illegal dumping in backyards, basements, public parks and commercial dumpsters;

-          NO, because the money we pay to Allied Waste should go for trash service, not legal damages; and

-          NO, because you want to continue to live in a prosperous, attractive, and progressive community.

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5^TH AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.

Local Business Groups Oppose Proposition A

Three local business organizations have announced opposition to Proposition A on the April 5^th ballot in Jefferson City. 

Proposition A purports to amend Jefferson City’s citywide trash/recycling contract by allowing residents to dispose of their trash however they choose, but Randy Allen of the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce says passage of the proposal would be a step backward for the community and hurt the local economy: “Now we’ve brought Jefferson City into the 21^st century so I think it’s a really big deal for young people and it’s a really big deal for a progressive community.”

Eric Schulte of the Jefferson City Area Board of Realtors acknowledges that the trash/recycling program could be improved upon but says voiding the program by passing Proposition A is not the way to do it.  “By cancelling this contract it is just going to cost everyone more money. There is not much, if any, gain that can possibly come from cancelling this contract.”

Civic Progress, a group representing Jefferson City largest employers, also has announced its opposition to Proposition A and contributed funds to help Citizens for Responsible Progress campaign against it.

Jenny Smith of Citizens for Responsible Progress says her group appreciates the support of the three business groups. “These are serious-minded individuals who want what is best for our community and its future.  They understand that Proposition A is not simply a matter of how we get rid of our garbage, but also how we can grow into a progressive and prosperous community.”

Letter to News Tribune - March 29, 2011

Dear Editor:

Why pay more for trash service? That’s what proponents of Proposition A are really asking us to do.

I thank our City Council for giving us a responsible, affordable, efficient citywide trash service.  They listened to the citizens when we said we wanted a new program that included curbside recycling.  They tested it in a trial program and, when they were satisfied that it worked, they approved the current contract. Citywide trash service is important to the safety and well-being of the citizens of Jefferson City in the same ways that fire and police protection, clean water and sewer service are.  We all pay for those services, why not trash removal?

But let’s not pay more than we need to.

Proponents of Prop. A clamor for “choice” in their trash service.  They had that choice under the previous system and 1,000 tons of trash went missing in 2009.  Well, not missing exactly, but dumped into creeks, wooded areas, in city parks or parking lots, or left in basements or back porches.

Before moving to Jefferson City four years ago I had a choice in my selection of trash providers.  The two competitors provided the same exact service for same exact fee, which was more than I pay now, and I had one pick up each week and no recycling. So much for competition.  If Prop A. passes, we will pay more for less service. Our rates are below the state average and well below our neighbors in Cole and Callaway Counties.  Let’s keep it that way.

We are also likely to lose curbside recycling.  Recycling is important in keeping our  costs down, because Jefferson City is now recycling about 25% of our solid waste, extending the life of our landfill.  Let’s not pay more because more of our trash is going into the landfill instead of being recycled.  That’s what will happen if Prop A. passes.

Passage of Proposition A is also likely to result in the use of our tax money to pay for the city’s breach of our contract with Allied.  That means either higher taxes or a reduction in other services to pay for those costs.

Let’s make sure the money we pay Allied is for trash service, not because we passed Prop. A.

Kenneth Luebbering

Why Vote No?

Jefferson City Area Board of REALTORS® Endorses “No on Proposition A”

The Board of Directors of the Jefferson City Area Board of Realtors voted at their regular monthly meeting on March 16 to endorse "No on Proposition A" which will appear on the April 5th ballot.  While the Board acknowledges there may be room for improvement to make this service more palatable for all, they are concerned that a "yes" vote could find the City of Jefferson in breach of contract and subject to costly litigation.

Mayor Landwehr Backs the Blues Brothers

Mayor John Landwehr got down with the Blues Brothers Thursday night.  No, not those Blues Brothers.  Mayor Landwehr minced no words at a public forum in support of our twin blue trash/recycling carts (known in some circles as the “Blues Brothers”). The Mayor told the crowd that Proposition A on the April 5th ballot is the most important issue to go before voters in the last 16 years, and its passage would mean that we'd all be "singing the blues" with higher monthly rates (as much as an additional $10/month), the end of curbside recycling, and lawsuits against the City for breach of contract costing hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.

What did supporters of Proposition A say?  Not much.  Not much at all.  They didn't really dispute the mayor's warnings, but said they oppose the Blues Brothers on "principle".

It is not the first time that the Blues Brother have been misunderstood, but remember that Jake and Elwood were on a "mission from God".  Join Mayor Landwehr and stand tall with the Blues Brothers for our future!

And Another Supporter...Vote No for Prop A on April 5!

Council Members, thank you for letting me speak today.

I am opposed to Proposition A.  According to the proponents of this Proposition, a “Yes” vote would give Jefferson City residents more choice when it comes to their trash service.  Well, for me, and for most of the residents of our city, the current trash and recycling service is our choice.

I personally worked since 2007 both as a regular citizen and as a member of the Environmental Quality Commission to find a plan that would provide the most convenience, the lowest cost and the best service to the people of the city.  After two years of research, focus groups, a pilot project, surveys, and market evaluation, we were confident that we found the best service for the most people.  That was why I, along with the majority of Jefferson City residents, urged our council members in 2009 to pass approval for the current service.  It was our choice.

Did it make everyone happy?  No.

Unfortunately, the bag customers experienced the biggest change because of an evolving industry that no longer picked up bags.  But the plan has worked for most of us.  And it added curbside recycling, prolonging our landfill.

This service is still our choice.  But the proponents of Prop A want to take our choice away.  They want to take us back to where we started.  They say the Proposition will still mandate everyone to throw away their trash.  Well, it’s always been a mandate to dispose of your trash, even before the current ordinance.  But people have interpreted that mandate differently.  For some people, it meant taking their trash to the landfill on their own – a responsible choice to be sure.  But doing so currently costs a minimum of $30 to $35 per load for household waste, double the monthly rate for house pick-up.  Others interpreted that “mandate” to mean hiding trash in their basement, stuffing it underneath their porch, dumping it in the woods, sticking it in a local business dumpster in the middle of the night, burning it, or (and this was the most creative example that I learned of) dropping it in public picnic area bins on the way to Columbia.

I say no thank you.  We have our choice in place right now.  Please don’t take us back to the way it was.  I sincerely ask Jefferson City residents to vote for the next generation; vote for a cleaner community; vote to keep your choice.

Don’t throw a good thing away, please vote NO on Prop A!

E.H.

Another Statement of Support at City Council Meeting, Monday, March 21st

Good evening. My name is Jenny Smith. I live at 1211 Elmerine.

I am here tonight to comment on how much we like the current city wide trash service. We used to pay $15/mo for trash bin service. We piled our recyclables up in the basement and then made a trip every month to the recycling bins. Now we pay $15.75/mo and get trash and recycling. Now, because it is easier, much more of our trash goes into recycling.  In Jeff city as a whole, recycling has increased 7 fold over the previous plan. This is very gratifying and shows that this program is serving our community and our environment very well.

Jeff city is getting a very good deal that is the envy of our neighboring communities. Our city government has served us well. County residents pay up to $25/mo and don’t get the recycling service. I pay for trash pick-up at a family home at Osage Beach and pay $30/mo, also without recycling service. If you create trash, even a little bit, I challenge you find a better deal than what we have now.

If Prop A passes Jeff city residents will almost certainly be paying much more and getting less. Even if you decide to share with your neighbor and you split the cost that could go up to $25, you are saving only about $3 and you don’t have curbside recycling. Free-loaders would go back to using the large bins of businesses and apartment complexes, or dumping trash in their backyards. Some irresponsible renters would go back to leaving all their trash in the basement, moving out and leaving the mess for their landlords. But the freeloaders won’t be able to just save all your trash on the back porch and wait for spring clean-up, because there won’t be one. Prop A would drag us backwards.

The city was able to negotiate a low rate for city residents because of the volume discount. If the trash truck has to go down your street to get your neighbor’s trash, it costs them only a little more to pick up yours.  But if they go down your street for only one resident, it is not cost effective and their costs go up. They cannot offer individuals the same rate as a group. So if we have free choice here and get to choose our own trash hauler, then our rates will go up.

As part of living in a society it is in everyone’s interest that everybody takes care of their own trash.  It is a basic health, safety and sanitation issue. I want all my neighbors to have trash pick-up also, so that all trash around me is properly and responsibly disposed of. That is why it is in everyone’s best interest that the service be mandatory.

I want trash pickup, I want curbside recycling and I want the best price possible.  If the city government has negotiated a better deal than I could by myself than I want to say to the city, THANK YOU. If this is government interference, then I like it. 

I will be voting NO on Prop A.

Statement of Support at City Council Meeting, Monday, March 21st

Members of City Council, I appreciate this opportunity to express how happy I am with our current trash and recycling service.

With our current contract with Allied Waste, we have citywide, authorized collection of trash for $5 to $10 less a month than county residents outside the city pay, and we get convenient, curbside recycling service as well, which those outside the city don’t have. Because of this recycling service, our community now recycles 24% of all the residential waste we produce. The amount of recyclables we are keeping out of the landfill has increased seven times since we began our current service. I think this is wonderful.

Members of City Council, I also want to tell you thank you also for my authorized sewage collection service. Thank you for my authorized fire protection service. Thank you for my authorized police service. We all---citywide—share in the cost of these services, and that is the responsible thing for city government and city residents to do. Likewise, it is the responsibility of all of us to keep our city clean. Citywide trash collection is making this possible.

Before our current system, many residents were illegally dumping their trash in the dumpsters of others---of businesses, apartment complexes, or dumped it in the woods, stored it under porches and even stored trash inside houses. Imagine if you were a child living in a house like that, under those conditions. Surely we don’t want any child in our city having to live like that.
Our current trash and recycling collection service works, and I’m grateful for it. I don’t want my city to go backwards. I want the city to continue moving forward. I encourage all Jefferson City voters to join me in voting No on Prop. A. on April 5.

Thank you.
Carol Davit

Atta' Boy, Bob!

Bob Scrivner -  Third Ward Councilman

It hasn’t attracted much attention, but Councilman Bob Scrivner made an important announcement at Monday night’s meeting of the Jefferson City Council.  Councilman Scrivner says he will be voting “No” on Proposition A when he goes to the polls on April 5th.

What’s the big deal?  Well, Councilman Scrivner has been one of the most vocal opponents of the new trash/recycling program. Bob voted against the contract when it was approved by the City Council back in March of 2009, and he has consistently voted against anything in support of the trash/recycling contract ever since.

But that changed on Monday night.  Councilman Scrivner says the trash/recycling program is working fine for most people and he actually kind of likes the cart system for his own trash and recycling.  He still wants to adjust the pricing to make the service more affordable for those with limited incomes, but he knows that voting for Proposition A and breaching a contract with Allied Waste isn’t the way to do it.  Councilman Scrivner says it is unlikely that passage of Proposition A would bring back the plastic bags and it is very likely that the cost of trash service would go up.

Atta’ boy, Bob.  You could have kept quiet about your vote on April 5th, but you are a thoughtful, principled councilman.  On rare occasions you get it wrong, but this time you’ve got it right. Passage of Proposition A would be a disaster for our community!

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5^TH AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.

Listen to this! Vote No on Prop A April 5th!

Click here: http://soundcloud.com/jcvotenoapril5thpropa/citizens-for-responsible

Enjoy the warm weather today and vote NO on Prop A April 5th~!

Before Trash Collection in Jefferson City, MO - Vote NO Prop A April 5th!

Check this out: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=202124483140852&set=a.201110743242226.48180.199813713371929&theater

Recycling has never been this easy!

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Thanks for reading our blogs!  Thanks for your support!  Vote No on April 5th!

Watch this video

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/13376099

Vote No on Prop A April 5th!

Letter to the Editor of the Jefferson City News Tribune on Sunday, March 20th

Dear Editor:
It will be your right to vote for Proposition A in April, but if you do, you must be prepared to face the following consequences:
-  Higher trash service rates: Without a contract, Allied Waste is free to charge on the open market.  For a good index of those figures, look to our county residents who pay as much as $10 more per month for trash service.
- Possible legal action against the city for breach of contract: By cancelling our contract before the specified time, Allied Waste has the right to bring suit against the city and recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income.
- No curbside recycling service: Allied Waste will not be contractually obligated to provide this service.
- A return to illegal dumping: Since the initiation of the current trash and recycling service, over 2,000,000 pounds of "missing garbage" has been collected. A return to voluntary trash disposal will again fill up our commercial dumpsters and our landscapes with illegal dumping.
Don't throw a good thing away.  Vote "No" on Proposition A on April 5.

Kristen Hilty
Jefferson City

Letter to Editor in Jefferson City News Tribune on Friday, March 18

Dear Editor:

I am a resident of the county and pay $75.27 for three months trash service.  I have one trash can and one pick up per week. I recycle newspapers, plastic and cardboard (and now glass also)) and I have to take my recyclables to a recycling business across town usually once a month.  I would trade places anytime with the city resident, cheaper rates and more convenience. Every living person generates trash and should all have to pay to have it disposed of.  I don’t know what people are griping about.  But there are always going to be naysayers no matter what you do. I just hope the naysayers do not spoil this good service for all of Jefferson City residents.

Cathy Allen

Crocodile Tears

Meaning: To weep “crocodile tears” is to put on an insincere show of sorrow or concern. The allusion is to the ancient notion that crocodiles weep while devouring their prey.

Those pushing Proposition A publicly express concern for the poor and elderly and say they cannot afford $13.50 each month for small carts in our trash/recycling program. But that just doesn't add up.

Passage of Proposition A would INCREASE trash rates for all of us – including those least able to afford the basic necessities of life.  How much? We can’t say for sure but we know that rural Cole County residents pay anywhere from $5.00 to $10.00 more each month than we pay under the current trash/recycling contract in Jefferson City.

That’s not to say that the trash/recycling program couldn’t be improved.  We could all work together to do that. But last year when a proposal to help forty of the poorest households with their trash bills was considered by the City Council, the backers of Proposition A worked to defeat it.  They aren’t interested in improving our trash/recycling the program.  They only want to end it while crying "crocodile tears".

The way to improve the trash/recycling service is not by voting for Proposition A, which would breach our contract with Allied Waste and leave us with lawsuits, legal fees, higher trash bills, and no curbside recycling.  The way to improve the program is to vote “No” on Proposition A and then work with the new City Council to make improvements that encourage both personal choice and personal responsibility.  Vote “No” on April 5th.   Tell those behind Proposition A to dry their “crocodile tears” and to work with us to make a very good trash/recycling program even better.

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5th AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.

Vote NO on Prop A on Tuesday, April 5th

Tell all of your friends and neighbors...Vote NO on "Prop A" April 5th!

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Here's a picture of how trash used to be collected in a blue cart before the new contract took effect!

It's the Economy, Stupid!

“It’s the economy, stupid!” That focused reminder from a presidential campaign nearly 20 years ago resonates again as Jefferson City considers the consequences if Proposition A would pass on April 5th.  We’ve been on a pretty good run the last few months. Notwithstanding a sluggish economy, the local Chamber of Commerce has launched an ambitious campaign to remake our community so we can have something that Chamber consultant Jon Roberts describes as “quality of place”.  Hundreds of volunteers are investing a lot of time and energy putting their shoulders to the task. It is beginning to pay off.  Headline after headline announces progress all over town.

All of that could be wasted if Proposition A puts an end to recycling in Jefferson City. We really don’t need a consultant to tell us but Jon Roberts put it bluntly – young people looking for a place to invest their time and talents won’t give us the time of day if we are not a recycling community.

A lack of commitment on that single issue would betray a lack of resolve to remake ourselves. A lack of commitment on that single issue could undo all other efforts at economic growth. So what do we want?  Do we want to continue building our community for the future or do we want to surrender to the past?  Do we want the headlines over the next year to continue chronicling our economic growth or do we want our newspaper filled with stories of broken contracts and litigation and higher trash rates?

Set aside for a moment that nearly every community of any size in Missouri has community-wide trash service.  Set aside that Jefferson City’s trash rates are two dollars below the statewide average and five to ten dollars less than those paid by residents in rural Cole County. Set aside that over 2,000,000 pounds of trash have been recovered in the year since the new program began that used to be dumped illegally. Set aside that nearly a quarter of the trash we collect is now recycled which has already extended the life of the landfill.

Instead, ask yourself what happens to our future if Proposition A passes. How could we explain to would-be newcomers that we are not a recycling community? Worse, how could we explain that we were once a recycling community but then we turned our backs on it? Then remember the number one priority for all of us regardless of our individual circumstances: “It’s the economy, stupid”.

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5TH AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.

Ballot language a bit confusing -Just VOTE NO April 5th for Prop A-

How did this confusing petition language get translated into this deceptive ballot language?

Proposition A Fact Sheet
Absentee voters click HERE

Vote “No” on Proposition A.

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2,000,000 Reasons

A special committee in 2006 studying neighborhoods in Jefferson City uncovered a startling figure -- 1,400 households had no trash service.  No one knew what all of those households were doing with their trash.

But owners of apartment complexes and other commercial businesses could tell what some of those households were doing with their trash because their bins were routinely filled with the waste of illegal dumpers.  And city code enforcement staff could tell what other people were doing with their trash because they went into houses where months and even years of trash were dumped in basements and backyards and spare rooms.  In one particularly offensive case, the decayed carcass of a dog was found beneath a mountain of trash in a spare bedroom as workers hauled the stinking refuse out of the house.

Given the opportunity to responsibly deal with their trash, far too many households chose to pass the responsibility and the costs of waste disposal onto business owners and taxpayers. That’s no longer possible under the current trash/recycling contract.  All households have trash service.  All households share in the cost of responsibly disposing of trash.

That has resulted in another startling figure. In the year since the city-wide trash/recycling service was initiated, over 2,000,000 additional pounds of trash have been collected from the year before. That’s over 2,000,000 pounds that would have gone uncollected and unaccounted for without the new program in place.

Proposition A would reverse that progress and return us to the dark days where business owners and taxpayers had to pick up the tab for irresponsible residents.  Supporters of Proposition A say everyone should have a choice on how they dispose of their trash. But we’ve been there before and we know what “choice” means for responsible citizens. It would cost us plenty.

Jefferson City was right to join nearly every city of any size in Missouri by insisting that everyone deal responsibly with their trash.  We have over 2,000,000 reasons that prove it.

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5TH AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.

Cake? No thanks!

We’ve listened patiently the past two years as a few opponents have loudly insisted that Jefferson City’s trash/recycling program is somehow unfair to them.  Now they have placed a proposition on the April ballot that seems innocent enough, but would have severe consequences for Jefferson City.  Supporters of Proposition A want to deal with their trash however they see fit. They pretend that it won’t affect the trash/recycling services for the rest of us.  They’d like us to believe that we can have our cake and eat it, too. Please don’t be misled.

Our contract with Allied Waste requires that the City of Jefferson have an ordinance in place to ensure that all residents deal responsibly with their trash.  Proposition A would gut the current ordinance.  The City of Jefferson would be in violation of its contract and could face legal action costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Worse, passage of Proposition A would free Allied Waste to charge residents whatever the market would bear.  How much would that be? No one can say for sure but we know that residents of Cole County outside of the city limits without a contract are already paying as much as $10.00 more per month than city residents while getting less service.

Do you like curbside recycling? There’s no assurance that it would even continue if passage of Proposition A voids the current contract.  We could be back to the days of storing recyclables in the garage and hoping that the community recycling bins aren’t already full by the time we get there.

Tell supporters of Proposition A to keep their cake. We have a contract with Allied Waste that guarantees us an “easy to use” trash/recycling program and costs us less than most other communities in Missouri.

DON’T THROW A GOOD THING AWAY.  GO TO THE POLLS ON APRIL 5TH AND VOTE “NO” ON PROPOSITION A.