Greetings: My name is Susan Young...the Trash (and Recycling) Lady.
The delay in the Recycling Newsletter is my fault. I apologize for the delay. I have been tardy in finalizing the document and getting it through the proper authorization and purchasing channels. There were some programs, such as the Free Market, and some services, such as e-reminders of your recycling day, that I wanted to be able to introduce in the 2005 Calendar. These programs were not "ripe" for promotion back in December, the deadline for a Feb 1 mailing. There was NOT a decision to stop the recycling calendar to reduce General Fund costs. Solid Waste and Recycling Services is an Enterprise Fund in the City....we receive no money from the General Fund. In fact, the SW & R Enterprise contributes dollars to the General Fund and to City administration through various overhead charges and a Government Service Fee. I am glad that the Recycling Calendar provides useful information to customers. Please let me know if there are any other methods of communication that would be helpful, or additional information that I can provide in other formats or forums. Spring IS coming, and I would be very, very happy to meet with any neighborhood organizations or Block Clubs that want to pursue Clean City programs this year! I expect that the recycling calendars will be in your hands the end of February or the very beginning of March. If you need a "temporary" calendar, please call the Customer Service line at 673-2917 or me, directly, at 612-673-2433, or take advantage of our Wonderful New Online service! Again, you all have my personal apology for the delay in your receipt of the Recycling Calendar. My calendar for November, 2005 is already marked with the necessary due dates to make sure that I do not make this mistake again. Susan Young Minneapolis Solid Waste and Recycling Services -----Original Message----- From: Earl Netwal [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 4:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Mpls] Recycling newsletter issues I just took my recycling out, but I guess I should have put it in the garage, and not in my topless recycling bin. I get confused every other week, and forget if they are going to pick up this week or next. If I understand correctly, public works discontinued mailing their handy schedules to cut costs. Perhaps when the Mayor's campaign pays the city back for his newletter, there will be enough funds to pay for a new series of useful newsletters regarding our ongoing recycling program, I know I would appreciate it. Useful information should be deseminated. The mayor addressed the newsletter issue at the really worthwhile forum the Progressive Caucus sponsored last Friday. He said he would abide by the City attorney's opinion on the matter. I wish I had asked whether or not the city attorney is the correct venue to decide this issue. Gee, I'd hate to be in the attorney's position. Isn't there a conflict of interest issue here? Perhaps some other city attorney should be evaluating the issue. As importantly, my original complaint on this list had nothing to do with the legality of the newsletter. Whether it was legal or not, it was an abuse of the office. It's pretty clear to me that it runs afoul of the letter of the law. But should it somehow escape legal culpability, it was still wrong, and even if technically legal, the mayors campaign should reimburse the city. I don't care how many other council member or others may have followed the mayor's or someone else's bad example. If DFL'ers hope to prevail at the state and national level, we need to clean up our act. Actions which feed the negative stereotypes of Urban Political machines, and inappropriate use of city funds do nothing to advance our party's reputation. Newsletters can be useful, to pretend that the mayors newsletter was not a campaign piece as the deputy mayor did in the original newspaper account was clearly hogwash and I called it as such then and now. RT should reimburse the city, and ideally send me a newsletter with my recylcing days on it. Better yet, pick up recycling every week. Chasing cans down my alley in Nokomis East, Earl Netwal REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
