Thursday, October 29, 2009

Jury Trash Trial Set for 2011; “Unrealistic” Say Residents

With the dispute about St. Louis County’s Waste Program going on three years old, the battle will continue for more than another year as the cost to all county residents continues to increase.

U.S. District Judge Charles Shaw set January 10, 2011 for a jury trial. “This is ridiculous,” said one county resident when asked his opinion about the trash program. “What happens if the County loses the suit and the money collected by the trash haulers has to be returned? Will the county be liable?” Should that occur, it will impact all county residents.

More than 310 subdivisions opted out of the county’s program back in 2007 in protest of not being able to select their own trash hauler. This is not the only dispute. More than a few residents are business owners and dump their home trash at their place of business. Currently they are required by the county to pay double – at home and business.

Condo and apartment residents do not come under the county trash regulation. Many county residents using the designated trash hauler are satisfied with the program, however, many others have complaints about their trash service but are unable to do anything about it.

County Counselor, Patricia Redington, told the judge that the deadline may prove too stringent for the county. (Click Redington Photo to Enlarge)

However, plaintiffs' attorney Jane Dueker said her clients have waited long enough for action on their litigation. She told the court that the case wasn't complex — either the county issued the two-year notice or it didn't. "It's not rocket science," Dueker said Oct. 20.

It’s embarrassing to think that our county officials would over a year to be ready to address this issue.

More information is available at the Call Newspaper site at:
http://www.callnewspapers.com/Articles-i-2009-10-28-239486.112112_Jury_trial_set_in_2011on_trashdistrict_suit.html

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:13 AM

    For something that was pushed down taxpayers throats as a big money saver, this County sponsored Solid Waste fiasco is costing taxpayers hundreds of thousand of dollars to administrate and manage, and if any one of the 3 lawsuits is successful, it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

    what a total disaster.

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  2. Anonymous10:03 AM

    To the county for their choice for trash pickup, one year later quote from a carrier, "Our commitment to you - lids will be put back on cans and trash cans will be returned to the place where the customer sets them out." Wrong. Cans and lids are put wherever the driver decides to throw them. Small example, three weeks ago, high winds, I had to retrieve my cans and lids plus my elderly neighbor's (cans and lids) from the street and lawn. Two weeks ago, rain and more rain, both yard waste and trash can lids throw on lawn or turned upside down to collect the rain. I got rid of this carrier many years ago for poor service. I want the choice to return to the excellent carrier I had.

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