On 2/9/04 8:23 PM, "David Brauer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Recycling: a green gamble? > The City Council chooses between an upstart local recycler and two corporate > giants with longer track records -- and rap sheets > http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2004/02/09/news/news01.txt I want to thank the SW Journal for this article. I think Michael Metzger did an outstanding job of covering the numerous issues involved considering the space restrictions of a weekly newspaper. I also appreciate Susan Young's candor in the article in stating that "she's not allowed by city regulations to consider Eureka's status as a local nonprofit when adding up each bid's positives and negatives." That certainly seems to differ with the message our city's elected officials have been proclaiming to us constituents about wanting to promote small and local businesses. Which makes me wonder - is the city leadership really trying to do that or is it merely feel-good rhetoric designed to placate the voters? Personally, I'm kind of embarrassed by the comments from Councilmember Sandy Colvin Roy (12th Ward), chair of the Transportation and Public Works Committee, who said "Waste Management's long legal history doesn't count for a lot in the consideration of the city contract." "What matters more to me is reliable service to the city so that our recycling can continue smoothly," she said. I guess if I were an elected official, I would want to make sure that the organizations I choose for the city to do business with are trustworthy and not shady operators with an extensive history of legal troubles like Waste Management. I truly hope our other city council members find this concern more important than CM Colvin Roy apparently does. Even so, As St. Paul CM Jay Benanav attests, Eureka has been doing a great job in St. Paul and he thinks they've been a great operation from both an environmental AND financial standpoint. This is consistent with what I've heard from my friends and colleagues who live in St. Paul, most of whom work to develop recycling and other environmental policy for the state. As for the concern expressed in the article about Eureka's "limited organizational experience as a recycler" - I'm sorry, but that's just hooey. Eureka is not some brand-new organization, they spun off from the St. Paul Neighborhood Energy Consortium. The folks that now lead Eureka are the same folks that were coordinating the recycling program in St. Paul for the NEC, which has existed since 1985. Since an organization is best judged by it's staff, there's absolutely no reason to assume that just because the name on the letterhead has changed, that what has been a highly successful, operation will suddenly tank. Especially when Eureka's CEO is Susan Hubbard, who is a former president of the National Recycling Coalition and one of the country's foremost authorities on advanced recycling programs. What's really ironic about all of this is that the only reason Eureka Recycling even exists is because SuperCycle, the St. Paul NEC's former collection contractor for the recycling operation, was bought by Waste Management in 1999. Due to concerns about a lack of competition and the potential for poor service and rising prices, the St. Paul NEC chose to establish what is now Eureka Recycling rather than deal with Waste Management. I don't know about anyone else, but that speaks volumes to me. Mark Snyder Windom Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
