Board tosses out plan to cut back garbage pickup

Homeowners’ fears of rodents, bobcats and reptiles, not to mention smelly diapers, compelled Palm Beach County commissioners on Wednesday to drop a plan to reduce garbage pickup from twice a week to once.

The commissioners, meeting as the board of the Solid Waste Authority, were considpleaded ering a proposal to save money by reducing pickups, allowing sanitation workers to shorten their workweek and automating garbage trucks so only one employee is needed on each run instead of two.

They approved only the proposal to automate the trucks, which would have long arms that can pick up a garbage container and dump it into the truck’s compactor.

Collection rates have been across the state and haulers have warned commissioners the same will happen in Palm Beach County if no changes are made.

Homeowners pay $172 a year for garbage collection on their tax bills, while owners of multi-family homes pay $98 and mobile-home residents pay $165.

Commissioners said they were overwhelmed with comments from constituents, who with them to keep the twice-a-week service. Only Commissioner Paulette Burdick, of Lake Worth, said neighborhoods in her district preferred once a week pickup so they could reduce their tax bills, where homeowners pay for trash service.

Residents who addressed the commission Wednesday were adamant that twicerising

weekly pickup is essential for their health and safety.

Monica Amorelli, of Lake Worth, brought her infant son to remind commissioners how bad diapers smell “on day two.”

David Orfinger, of Loxahatchee, predicted “an inundation of coyotes and bobcats” that could be attracted to the debris from development near his home.

Chris Stahnke, of Boynton Beach, reminded commissioners of the “rodents, alligators, snakes and peacocks” that could be attracted to trash that has been outside for too long in the Florida heat.

“Garbage sitting out there for a week, in any size container, will become a problem for our community,” she said.

There are no cities in

Palm Beach or Broward counties that collect only once a week, although several places in Florida do, including Escambia County and Pensacola; Lee County, Cape Coral and Fort Myers; and Orange County and its cities Winter Garden, Apopka, Winter Park, Ocoee and Orlando.

The commissioners’ proposal will be sent to trash haulers, who are expected to send back contract proposals with detailed fees.