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It seems that the City Council intends to discontinue twice-a-week backdoor garbage pickup without attempting to determine whether homeowners want this to happen.
The city sends out a monthly bill for this and other services, including an envelope to return payment. It would be very easy to survey the opinions of homeowners at essentially no extra cost. An enclosure with the bill could provide the necessary information and ask the homeowner the pertinent questions.
For example: It currently costs you $X per month for garbage pickup at your back door twice a week. This will have to increase to $Y per month to continue this service as is.
The monthly charge can remain at $X per month if garbage pickup is reduced to once per week and is changed to curbside pickup only, using a city-supplied special design large garbage can that you would have to place at the curb on the scheduled pickup day. The cost of the special new, large garbage cans and trucks to handle them will be approximately (one-half million dollars?), to come from (whatever the source might be).
Do you want to change to once-a-week curbside pickup of garbage at a monthly charge to you of $X? Yes or no.
If not, are you willing to pay the increased monthly rate of $ Y to continue the present pattern of twice-a week backdoor pickup? Yes or no.
Let's see what people want before changing this important service.
Theodore R. "Ted" Robinson
Gainesville