ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 20, 1996 TAG: 9611200082
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
Vinton Town Council on Tuesday approved a charter amendment giving the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority permission to collect waste, rather than only receive it - paving the way for potential consolidation of residential trash collection in Vinton, Roanoke and Roanoke County.
The 4-1 vote was the final hurdle the authority had to clear before even considering getting into the trash collection business.
Because all three jurisdictions own the authority, the amendment needed three approvals. Roanoke City Council and the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors already voted yes.
The action also gave the authority the power to compete with private trash haulers for commercial collections, something the haulers fought hard.
And the approval came despite warnings from one councilman that the town was "writing a blank check" taxpayers might ultimately have to pay if collection operations lose money. Similar language was used by Roanoke City Council members opposed to the scheme.
"We are today being asked to vote one time on a project I know nothing about," Vinton Councilman Joe Bush complained, noting that the authority has developed no business plan or dollar figures that suggest it should get into the business.
"I'm still interested in valleywide cooperation," Bush added. "But I'm not interested in giving away taxpayer money. If [the resource authority] comes up short, where do they come? To us."
The authority sought approval to collect residential trash so it can consolidate operations the three jurisdictions now run independently. In theory, that could save tax dollars because one large operation should cost less than three smaller ones.
The authority wants the ability to collect commercial trash also because one of the valley's chief commercial collectors, Browning Ferris Industries, has begun hauling trash out of the state rather than pay the $55-per-ton dumping rate the resource authority charges.
Local officials fear that, if more trash goes out of state, the authority would suffer a revenue shortfall that would leave taxpayers holding the bag on paying off the $41million borrowed to build the trash transfer station, rail line and landfill.
But commercial haulers say competing against them will never work and that the big problem is the landfill and trash transfer station were too costly. Other landfills not too far away charge less than half the authority's rates.
"They have to take a look at other options," argued Scott Axelson, president of BFI's Roanoke division. "If you want to drive a Cadillac, then don't complain about the car payments."
Vinton Mayor Charles Hill voted for the amendment but expressed reservations about the authority getting into collections.
Hill said he would write Roanoke Mayor David Bowers and Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Johnson suggesting they get together with trash haulers and work on solutions that could keep the authority out of the collection business.
Before the authority actually does collections anywhere, it would need a new round of affirmative votes from the three jurisdictions.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB