Four-Eight-Four [dot org]

During lunch I actually took time to read my copy of the Times-Free Press, and discovered that the city is fudging on their promise to begin their “money saving” recycling program on November 1. They’ve now moved the start date back to January 1 of 2007, ostensibly because the new program might confuse residents.

“We thought it would be best to not make any major changes to the trash/recycle pickup until after the holidays,” Lee Norris, deputy administrator of Public Works, said in a statement. “People have enough on their minds through the holidays without wondering if this week is brush pickup and recycle Wednesday.”

So, why aren’t we going to do brush pickup weekly during that time period too? Surely it’s as important as recycling pickup. Heaven knows, we don’t want citizens confused about when brush pickup will happen. After all, we’re very concerned about our citizens … otherwise we wouldn’t have introduced this fine new “money saving” recycling program!

Or, maybe they’re trying to come up with some way to justify the fact that their new program does less for the same amount of money. You know, calm the restless natives around town.

Actually, it looks like perhaps that explanation is correct. Turns out that the TFP is reporting that the city has retained the services of a public relations agency, Waterhouse Public Relations, to create some sort of “outreach and marketing program” for the new plan.

So, how much are we spending on this “outreach and marketing program”? $100,000. I suppose they are going to try to blitz those of us who think that our city government would be better off in the hands of a few trained monkeys than our current mayor and “councilpeoples.”

Now, at least for the first year, this revamped plan is going to cost $100,000 more than the old plan. (Yes, the TFP says today that the new plan will cost $1.1 million, but then it also states the Herr Littlefield the Mugu claims that the cost of curbside pickup is $100,000 a month … which adds up to $1.2 million by my math … unless we use an eleven-month calendar here in this town.)

Thanks again, Herr Littlefield. Look at it this way … once you retire from your current position as our mayor, you can be the chief of police in Lamar, SC. You and the fellow who currently fills that position appear to be equals as far as IQ goes.

Read More: Monthly recycling won’t start until Jan. 1