SILVER WATER—The residents of Robinson Township received some good news concerning its expected increase of $10,000 per year in the costs of GFL (Green for Life) hauling its waste off-Island at a pre-budget meeting of the local services board, last week.
“In August GFL had informed us that we would be seeing an increase of 25 percent for hauling our waste (as well as a six percent increase in fuel surcharge costs and HST), which would have meant residents would be looking at more like a 30-35 percent increase in total,” said Karen Noble, secretary/treasurer of the LSB.
“However, they have since told me they are keeping the rates the same for another year,” said Ms. Noble, which drew a round of applause from the 40 residents in attendance at the meeting. “And we asked about Stop 540 (restaurant) and told them the restaurant is taking measures like composting and recycling and other ways to reduce their waste. We asked them (GFL) to take all their garbage instead of limiting the number of garbage bags they could put in the waste bin.”
“I would assume the 25 percent or more increase they (GFL) were proposing for this year will be in effect next year?” asked one resident.
Mr. Noble explained a representative from GFL, “is suggesting a three to four percent increase next year and the year after that as well. But they are willing to negotiate on this.” She pointed out as well the LSB pays a $50 fee for two recycling bins provided by GFL in the township. “They said they will be cancelling this fee as this waste is now the responsibility of the manufacturer of recyclable products. This will save us approximately $1,500 per year.”
“We will get the contract with GFL this week and will get it signed,” said Ms. Noble. As for the budget for next year, currently each lot with no building on it (in the township) pays a fee of $200 for services provided in the township and $260 for properties that do have a building located on it.
With the proposed increases from GFL it would have meant an overall cost increase of $10,000 over the 500 properties in the township, the meeting was told. “So basically, everyone would have been paying $20 more. “I squawked when they first proposed the increase as I said when was the last time people on a pension received a 25 percent increase in their pension.” Although she said it is probable that everyone in the township would have paid the 25 percent increase to GFL for hauling the waste, an increase has been delayed for at least one year.
“One other question I have to ask of everyone is that GFL asked, if after long weekends, they could go to a Wednesday garbage pickup instead of the current Tuesday pickup?” Ms. Noble told the meeting. “I figured this would be a bad idea, but I said I would ask,” prior to the residents indicating they would like to see the garbage pick-up continue on Tuesdays.
With no change in its portion of the library costs this year, as well as the community hall board requesting less financial support from the LSB this year, and the costs for the township fire team and now garbage to remain the same, “everyone’s taxes should not go up unless something horrible takes place by November 27 (when the LSB board will pass the final budget for the next year).
One motion local residents did approve when it was brought forward concerns the replacement of the roof on the township fire hall station and parking lot expansion project of $46,000 in total. With funding in place, the costs to the LSB will be $4,600 and any cost overruns on the roof.
