LETTER TO SDITOR
Dear Editor:
On Dec. 27 the city of Ko
diak will award the city gar
bage hauling contract. We
have long felt that the exist
ing garbage ordinance, and
arbitrary method of awarding
the contract could be improved I
for the benefit of John Q.
Public. In studying the cur
rent ordinance we find that,
the city becomes the sole col-1
lector of garbage with the
right to either haul the gar
bage or award the contract to
private individuals
The ordinance also makes it
unlawful for persons other
than the authorized dealer to
dispose of his garbage at the
municipal dump, and all per
sons having garbage must
patronize the authorized
hauler. Rates are set by the
city council.
The awarding of the gar
bage hauling contract in the
past has seldom been based
on the low bid. It has usually j
been based upon an arbitrary
assumption that one of the
bidders could give superior
service. To us this method
seems undemocratic and un
fair. The total skills needed
in£the hauling of garbage is
the simple ability to dump a
can into a truck, multiply this
operation, and pull a lever at
the dump.
In the past the hauling con
tract has been usually award
ed arbitrarily and not based
upon the bid. According to
the ordinance all tax-payers
with garbage have been forced
to subscribe to the service of
a private individual, who oper
ates for profit, or they become,
law-breakers.
All collections have been
made by the city for the
hauler and 10% has been
added for over due accounts.
If this is not a monopoly—
What is it? ?
Just how much work is con.
nec'ted with the job and how
much hard cash is earned? ?
Assuming that there are 10
miles of roads in Kodiak, our
present hauler must make one
and one-half miles of daily
pick-ups plus some daily and
some thrice weekly main
street pick-ups plus an esti
mated three to four trips to
the dump (And pull the lever)
We feel that 25 miles of daily
running is more than a fair
average and that $2,500 per
year will more than cover the
truck cost, including deprecia
tion.
Check the income: For the
current year of 1951 city
revenue has amounted to ap
proximately $13,200. As an
estimate we feel that revenue
from outside the city limits
should amount to about $2,
400, or a gross of $15,600.
Add this to 450 units of thei
new housing and we have a
gross of approx. $25,000 per
year. The above figures
represent the haulers share.
As for labor involved it can
not be too great due to the low
daily pick-up mileage. Assum
ing the use of self loading j
equipment one man should be
able to care for the present
business plus some of the new.
Considering all factors, am
ount of work, responsibility,
lack of competition, collection
set-up and small credit losses
we feel that there is far too
much remuneration. The above
set-up has but one possible de
fense sanitation. We recog
nize the need for sanitation
but feel that it can be better |
obtained by a method which]
will f i\ e us* tax payers a bet
ter run for our money:
What can be done to im
prove the situation?? We know
the dire need of the city for
more money. We suggest to
the city council that the city
take over the actual hauling.
The extra income could be
used to purchase a small cat
and blade plus sufficient oil to
keep the dump in a sanitary
condition.
In time the revenue received
by the city for hauling gar
bage could be used for sewers,
roads, etc. Regarding equip
ment: If the city takes over
the hauling it is possible that
second hand equipment
might be available.
As a whole, municipal oper
ations as such, are repugnant:
to us but in the case of gar
bage which is a sanitation
must in a community, we feel
that no private individual
should be set up to capitalize j
on such a fundamental need, i
and we further feel that all
profits should return to the
tax-payer. We also feel that
the removal of a possible poli
tical plum from the political ]
horizon is a healthy move. ;
Should the city council feel,
that the above move is not ad
visable at this time we offer
the following suggestions:
1. That the hauling contract
be awarded to the lowest bid
der who can produce sufficient
performance bond or cash
equivalent.
2. A vehicle which qualifies
under the specification as out
lined in the garbage ordinance.
No bidder should be given
special consideration because
of self loading equipment.
This type of equipment bene
fits the user but any good
tight, covered conveyance
hauls the garbage just as well.
We tax payers are interested
in more return to the city
rather than self loading
equipment.
3. All individuals be given
lawful use of the city dump.
Permits be required for the
dumping of garbage but no
permit to dump rubbish.
In closing we wish to state
that this letter has been moti
vated by the honest belief:
That — prohibiting the tax
payer from using the munici
pal dump is unconstitutional,
distasteful and undemocratic.
We feel that when a private
individual has the hauling
contract no citizen should be
forced to subscribe. A manda
tory set-up should be oper
ated by the city with profits
accuring to the tax payer.
In view of the new building
program the city should ex-^
continued on page 16
a
We give many gifts and
- presents to those wj
love
and
I
do not realize that God
give the greatest gift
His Son.
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We put many lights on
the Christmas trees
attd
do not accept the Son of
God as the light of our
life.
| We send and receive
many Christmas greet
3 ings
□
m
do not read the messages
l that God sends us in the
** Bible.
0
We sing many carols of
peace and happiness
do not get right with
God which alone can
bring true peace and
happiness.
L=]0l
1 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stay
ed on thee; because he trusteth in ihee - lr-aiah 26:3
Christmas Program December 23; 7:30 pm
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