Facebook trash-talks Florence
Change in refuse collection overstated
Staff writer
A brouhaha on social media over trash polycarts and collection rates in Florence has some residents in an uproar and city council members explaining reality to them.
Some residents have taken to Facebook to say they are unhappy. They must use 95-gallon polycarts instead of setting out bags, boxes, and random items near the street.
They also think trash rates rose $20.71 a month.
In reality, Florence mayor Bob Gayle said, rates have gone up only $6, from $14.71 to $21.71. After months of discussion, council members decided to switch to polycarts instead of having people put trash helter-skelter near the street.
“People set bags and all manner of stuff out there, and it gets to be a mess,” Gayle said. “They just look like heck. We’re trying to beautify the community.”
The city will use a trash truck with a lift device to pick up the polycarts and dump them into the back of the truck’s bin. Gayle hopes to eventually get a side-loading trash truck that lifts the carts over the side of the truck and dumps it into the top.
Gayle said the hoopla began after polycarts were delivered to residents before they knew why the carts were needed.
“The people didn’t understand because they didn’t know why, and they got upset,” Gayle said.
Six to eight people went to city hall to complain. Nearly all were satisfied when the changes were explained to them, he said.
“That seems to take the fire out of them,” Gayle said. “Then they find out what the real story is, and they think, oh, OK.”
Several asked for a second polycart, he said. A second cart costs an extra $6 a month, Gayle said.
Gayle said the rate increase to $21.71 a month for basic trash pickup won’t take effect until November bills are sent.
Customers in Burns and at the county lake will not be affected by Florence’s changes. Those residents will continue to set out bags and boxes of trash to be picked up at the curb.
Some people complained that they didn’t know trash collection was a council topic.
“I don’t think it’s my duty to go door-to-door and hand out agendas,” Gayle said.
He had a further comment for social media posters:
“I’ve been off of (social media) for five years, and I don’t plan to ever go back on. If anyone wants to tag me, they can knock themselves out, because I don’t see it.