More comments from Monday’s public hearings
Jun 24th, 2008 by Paul Leighton
Leftover pieces from last night’s public hearings on the budget and trash fee …
– Hale Street resident Rene Mary said the trash fee should be lowered from $100 to $75 to reward residents for their improved recycling, which has saved the city money on trash disposal costs.
– Nathan Zoll and others advocated for a pay-as-you-throw program, in which residents would pay per bag rather than a flat fee.
“I am an empty-nester,” Zoll said. “I put half a bag out to the curb. The (flat) fee is to some extent discriminatory.”
– Peabody Avenue resident Mary Rodrick, a recycling activist, credited the appointment of the city’s recycling coordinator, Peter Seamans, with helping to reduce the city’s trash disposal costs. Rodrick said Seamans has worked with JRM, the city’s trash hauler, to make sure they don’t pick up items that don’t belong in the trash, such as yard waste and TV monitors. Rodrick also favors a pay-as-you-throw system.
– Pleasant Street resident Rosemary Maglio said the trash fee should be reduced by $25, and the money could be made up by imposing a $25 fine on people who put recyclables into the trash. “It’s against state law,” she said.
– A couple of speakers said the school budget crisis will cause the city to lose good teachers who will seek other jobs in search of stability. Corning Street resident Leslie tenHope said it’s already happened, with two teachers voluntarily leaving the Cove “because of the uncertainty.”
“How many teachers must we lose before we get it?” she said.
– Some residents, including Carrie Monahan of Lakeshore Avenue, said the city side of the budget should get just as much scrutiny as the school budget. Monahan also said she’s happy to pay fees for programs such as elementary school music and enrichment.
“If I had to pay to go to the library on Sunday, I’d do it,” she said.
– Many of the speakers said they will remain involved in the budget process after this year’s controversy dies down. “You’ve got a bunch of people’s attention now,” Monahan told city councilors. “We’re not going away. Use us. Put us to work.”
– Holding Street resident Anne Curry said her first-grader got a great education at Ayers Ryal Side and she didn’t want to jeopardize that. “We’re at a tipping point,” she said. “We are about to tip it if we cut any more resources from our schools.”
– Corning Street resident Marie Linden said some families are still unsure where their children will end up going to school next year. “Until you are walking in our children’s shoes, please understand how chaotic this is,” she said. “The changes to the school lines are impacting our neighborhoods.”
