Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

City unveils new trash fee attempt

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD The second version of the city's trash fee was unveiled last week and there will probably be a third in the future.

After a press conference conducted on March 20 to announce the city's revised trash fee plan, Department of Public Works head Al Chwalek told Reminder Publications that a "pay as you throw" system in which residents will buy special bags in which to dispose of their trash is "still on the table."

He said city officials would look seriously at instituting a program later this year.

In the meantime, Springfield residents who want to opt out of the city's trash collection service and hire a private hauler might have a bit of a problem so far there isn't very much choice on the private side.

As explained at the press conference, residents will receive a bill in April for an annual trash collection fee. This $90 fee has met the requirements of the court that put an injunction on the city's previous attempt to impose a trash fee. Residents will have an option of paying the $90 for the annual fee or opting out and seeking private collector.

Chwalek said he believes the city fee of $90 will prove to be competitive. The fee will cover about half of what it actually costs the city to service a residence. The money raised by the fee goes to support the solid waste program.

Although Chwalek could not quote private rates for trash pick-up, he said that residents should look up haulers in the Yellow Pages and compare prices for themselves.

Dan Cooper of the Reminder Publications editorial staff did just that with the following results:

All Property Services, Hampden: does not offer weekly residential pickups.

Allied Waste Services, Chicopee: offers residential pickup, but not for the city of Springfield.

AllWaste Management, Springfield: no weekly residential pick-ups; deals mostly with construction waste.

All Waste Removal, Hampden: no weekly residential pickups.

City Waste, Ludlow: no weekly pickups.

Dave's Trash Removal, East Longmeadow: will do weekly pickup, but it is a weekly fee depending on location and number of bags being picked up. Charge will also include gas.

Prompt Removal Services, Agawam: no weekly residential pickups

Enviro Tech Systems, Springfield: does not offer weekly pickups.

Cooper said that two firms, New England Waste of Agawam and Waste Management, do offer residential service but do not cover Springfield because the city has municipal services. The customer service representatives seemed to be unaware of the options now afforded to Springfield residents.

Chwalek said that those citizens who do not wish to pay the $90 will have their city-issued barrels collected in July when the trash fee system becomes effective. Chwalek said that because all the barrels have serial numbers, his department will be able to know if someone opts out of the city service and steals someone's barrel in order to still have trash pick-up.

Residents who are not participating in the city's program can still have their bulk items picked up for a fee and still can have their recyclable materials picked up by the city at no cost.

There will be a 25 percent discount for qualified seniors citizens, blind residents and veterans.

Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan said one of the lessons the city learned last year when the fee was challenged in a class action suit was that it "could have done a much better job of communicating the ups and downs of the trash fee situation."

The city will send out informational postcards on April 2 and the first bills on April 16. If a residents paid the fee last November before the court injunctions, he or she has an option of either applying what they paid to their bill or getting a refund with interest.

Information on the fee will also be posted on the city's web site at www.springfieldcityhall.com.