I just love councils thinking. We are going to automated garbage pickup to save money and decrease injuries related to the job.. That was the sales pitch we got…

Now every year garbage collection charge goes up and the garbage collection guys are picking up garbage by hand..

Another decision that makes that raise they gave themselves so ludicrous .

Yes P Val you are correct….we are going backwards in this City…truly a lack of leadership. :(

One can already see the results of the cities garbage policy at the trail heads.

Only in PG would a city remove garbage cans in public parks like Rainbow Park, close down the central transfer stations, and implement pay to dump at the main Foothills dump. It must be part of the civic pride program from city hall….

You just have to love the rationale for increasing the tranfer station cost from $4 to $6 last year. The reason given was that as the foothills landfill contractor was guaranteed a certain tonnage of landfill, and as recycling had been so successfull in reducing the amount of garbage going to the landfill, they had to raise the cost to pay the contractor. Therefore, reuse = reycle = increased costs. Must make sense to someone at City Hall.

They forgot to mention that they must also post a sign on the bag that says “Attention animals! There isn’t any food in this bag. Move along. That includes you Mister Crow, Mister Dog and Mister Bear.”

If the home owner doesn’t have that extra tag they will be in violation of the “Do not attract animals” bylaw. That violation comes with a 250.00 fine payable to the truck driver in cash only. Pre made signs can be purchased at the time of tag purchase for an extra 25.00.

Norway, you reminded me of the time when council voted in that you aren’t allowed to move the trash cans to the road before 4 am on garbage day because that stops animals from getting into the garbage because we know animals will not go that exta 20 feet to get to the trah cans beside your house. Ah don’t you feel good about the rocket surgeons we avevas mayor and council.

I suggest that the City forgets about garbage BAGS and gives those who have more garbage than the largest available garbage CAN the option to sign on for another garbage can, perhaps the smallest size! This way the automated garbage pickup vehicle can simply empty both cans when they are put out to the curb.

Why are they always overlooking the obvious simple and most practical solutions?

We are now faced with a perfectly good garbage disposal system at 18th and Quinn, that will sit idle for years.

The City should have reduced the price of the facility back to 2 or 3 dollars, and continued to use it.

It would be interesting to know how much we paid for this transfer station at the outset.

Reducing the price to 2 or 3 bucks would not reduce the amount it cost to run the transfer station it would just have to be subsidized from some other pot of money(roads?).

A transfer station is a convenience for residents and those using it should cover costs. The recycling part is still going to be there I think so yard trimmings, branches, tires, batteries and used oil can still be dropped off.

Even those dropping off right at the Foothills landfill should cover the cost of moving the trash from the drop off bins till it is buried although 6 bucks seems a little excessive.

Having an extra bag laying out for the drivers to get out and pick up is one of the most retarded things this council has done. If you don’t have a large cart and you need to buy tags get a large cart. I hope the neighbours enjoy cleaning up garbage the dogs, crows and bears spread all over.

Doesn’t make sense for council to allow residents to put out extra waste at the curbside in a bag. They are encouraging an increase in waste production …. Why don’t they run a pilot project of curbside recycling instead.. This would have a more positive impact. Will each bag be weighed before it is picked up to make sure it weighs no more than 22kg? Who will do this?… and of course there is the issue of animals breaking open the bags and waste spillage on to the street and into neighbourhoods. I’m not so sure the majority of PG Citizens want this type of pilot project in PG….. a survey done in 2008 by the regional district saw 85% of respondents in PG wanting curbside recycling. Council seems to be taking a step backwards on this idea.

“go without wearing shoes for the day”

If that is what they are really asking, then they would make perfect material for future City Administrators and Councillors.

Totally oblivious of the time of year and many other things.

Have a look to see how many people go without some sort of foot protection in countries with snow on the ground during much of half of the year.

No one will ever confuse city hall with NASA. With the logic at city hall invention of the wheel would be in the distant future.

What they need to do is get rid of the large four bag garbage can. People need to realize that they have to reduce their garbage output

It is beyond reason that the city should oblige those that are so wasefull. They are cutting corners on all the services needed yet here they are trying to fix a problem that need ont exist.
Cheers

you say city going backwards, give council a little break just maybe they were born backwards, they had no control over that, maybe it was climate change to blame. of course i’m only guessing.

This extra garbage bag fiasco sounds like a dog’s breakfast. Er or I should say bear, crow , raven etc, s’ breakfast. The critters will be well fed, though. This fee to dump at Heather Rd. landfill -do they expect people to pay if they are there only to use the recycling bins? There are scattered recycle bins around at various locations but only for certain items- cardboard, mixed paper, cans. What about glass, all plastics (not just milk jugs)? UNBC has a bin up there for plastics numbered from 1 to 7. The idea of the old swap shop when it was there was to cut down on the amount used and recyclable items going into the landfill. I think it was working however it only takes a few to spoil for the many. HAGD

Retired 02

Your small container is more than enough to hold empty All Bran boxes and Metamucil containers.
A household with two adults and a bunch of growing kids would naturally produce much more waste. Add to this that those people are also likely making improvements to their house whereas retired people tend to fart in the same couch cushion till they end up with a dirt blanket:P

You can access the recycling part of the Vanway transfer station without paying and I am sure this is the case at the other locations.

I went from a mid to small container recently.

I often had one or two bags in the larger container and, on occasion, never even bothered to put it out. Over the years we reduced th amount we are sending to the dump.

Now I am progressing to the next stage of maxing sure that no paper goes in the garbage. I recycle cans, and the paper on the outside of most of them goes into a paper bin. Bread bags and other wrappers … into the paper bin for recycling.

My small container is now barely ever more than half full.

Glass is still the problem. Maybe someone can tell me where I can bring that.

And, if we had compost curbside recycling pick up, I would hardly have any garbage.

Back to the headline. Whoever thought that City Hall could run a viable vehicle servicing facility needs to have their head examined. Why staff even needed to spend time on exploring the issue is beyond me.

Time for a good City Manager who can see such things from the beginning without wasting time.

KPMG should have had money held back due to such stupid, grasping-at-straws ideas.

grasping-at-straws ideas…..you mean like the dog license gestapo? Never heard much about that after the roll out. Did it cover gas money?

These are the “Action Plans” 2012-2014 for Mayor and Council

2012-2014 Projects and Initiatives

 Complete a Core Service Review

 Establish a 3 Year Operating Budget Guideline

 Identify New Revenue Streams

 Develop an Asset Management Strategy

 Road Rehabilitation Program

 Commission and Operate the District Energy System

 Build Strategic Partnerships

 Support the development of the Prince George Air Logistics Park

 Advocate for the Northern Gateway Corridor  Develop 2015 Canada Winter Games Facilities and Opportunities

 Finalize the Twinning Agreement Between the City of Prince George and the City of Jiangmen

 Plan the City of Prince George’ 100th Anniversary Celebration

============================================

Key words for me….Establish Identify Develop Support Advocate Finalize Plan…..nothing definitive nothing measurable…in other words exactly what we have been getting.

I hope the new city manager knows what she is up against!

Keyword for me:

“Identify New Revenue Streams.”

Of course!

Missing: Operate within present budget (annually adjusted for inflation) and achieve the now forgotten promised 10% savings in each and every department.

“10% savings in each and every department”…..that was campaign speak, what she actually meant that she would help “old friends” push projects down residents throats so they can maximize profits.

What conflict of interest?

“…going without wearing shoes for one day”? Kin of mine works for the Sally Ann and they work to collect a container load of shoes for people in Africa. Maybe that is why shoes are not manufactured in Africa. Same with clothing. Hell! Why not just bring them all here? Would save a lot of shipping costs.

Well maybe a I fart in the couch all day. But the mid size garbage can that holds two bags of garbage is big enough to hold the garbage of all the movers and shakers whos kids believe there is no tommorow when it comes to garbage production.

In Abbotsford a houshold is allowed two bags of garbage and if you have more you pay extra. Our family over the years had one two bag garbage can at the curb each week before this crazy idea of improving garbage collection ever started.

so dont give us this crap about old farts we have liv3d a productive life and done our share its time that this generation woke up to the fact that they should get what they want without question. if thats the best you can come up with lonesome sparrow post your crap elsewhere.
Cheers
Cheers

Well said, Retired 02
When I lived in PG, I had the smallest garbage can and even after 1 or 2 month it was never full.
But some people just like buying junk food, processed food etc.
If you buy or grow fresh veggies, all you need is a compost bin. You can recycle paper, milk jugs etc
If you are able to cook your supper yourself, there is hardly no garbage. I asked City, to get rid of my garbage can, they told me, we will take your bin, but you still pay. What a joke!
As long as the people like the drive-throughs, processd food or all this crap, they will not learn to produce less garbage.
Living a little bit healtier, moving a little bit more aorund by feet, would absolutely reduce many health problems, over weight, diabetes etc.

Retired 02 so it’s our fault? How silly of us, we through out garbage.. Yes we do. I have a large container and its almost full every week. Do you know my living situation? Do you know how many people use it and reside at my residence ? No you don’t. You sound almost as smart as council, making decisions with no information.

Are there any ideas from the core review that are worthy of keeping? Or any bright ideas that will result in significant costs savings to the city? How can Mayor Green and City Council justify paying KPMG 350K to come up with 128 or so pie-in-the- sky, not relevant to PG, ideas that will see little or no real costs savings? The one good idea so far that came from the core review is the question of whether to keep or remove floride from the city’s water. The City certainly didn’t need a 350K core review to arrive at that decision and it will cost nothing to ask the question as it will be attached to the ballot at the next civic election.

As PrinceGeorge mentioned above where is Mayor Green’s campaign promise of finding 10% savings from each and every department within the City?

Council needs take a bit of a look at the result of the core review and ask themselves if they got their money’s worth out of it – include in that the cost to KPMG as well as the cost of person hours of the Administration and even the cost to Councillors and Mayor for time they could have spent on productive matters.

Which, of course, raises the question of what does prodictivity of Council mean and do they achieve it?

Is there an introspective look that Council ever takes and shares with the rest of the community?

P Val, if you say its your fault it must be. Ifyour four bag garbage can is full every month you need to take a good look at your lifestyle. Yes and I would know your living situation, its exremely waste full and you have no respect for where your garbage goes. And above all you have no respect for your own health.
Cheers

I find it very interesting that when I only have half a can of garbage or I miss garbage day, I never see a reduction or credit.

However, during those few isolated times during the year when we have more than the can can hold, we are expected to pay dearly. Why is that?

Well it goes to show you when you are retired you got nothing else to do in life but to worry about wastful things what a Lonley life.

buzzinga on April 8 2013 6:29 PM
Well it goes to show you when you are retired you got nothing else to do in life but to worry about wastful things what a Lonley life.

?????????????????????????
Why would somebody be lonely when they retire?
Usually life is great when you retire – and sometimes you are not even that old when you chooce early retirement.
So more than strange comment.
Even the youngster should know how to recycle and what is good for them – or are they not able to cook anymore. No knowledge about healty living?
Holy smoke, what a future for these mouthy kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gus, I agree completely about the maintenance of vehicles. I can’t believe this was ever considered either. Wages alone would kill that program.

I was looking at City jobs the other day and found one that was comparable to one at Northern Health. The Northern Health wage is $24; the City wage is $31. I know the City needs the best and the brightest (or so they say) but are they really more important jobs than say, Northern Health?!