Don't wait to take survey

Editorials

Discussion

October 23, 2009

Anonymous The Commercial-News Fri Oct 23, 2009, 11:25 PM CDT

The Vermilion County Health Department’s decision to scrap its recycling program sparked a number of discussion among local municipal officials about ways to continue to offer residents an alternative to tossing refuse into a landfill.

Officials in several communities, including Danville, are considering ways to pay for the recycling service.

Danville even has a survey going on to gauge interest among residents.

Early results of that survey are … well, less than spectacular.

About 360 households in the city have registered a response. City officials want at least 1,200 to respond.

Some people might assume their lack of response will be seen as a negative answer. They should not be so quick to think that way.

Given the opportunity to directly participate in a decision such as this, residents should be sure to do so regardless of their opinion on the issue.

Without the hard data of responses, officials can spin results however they might like to see them go.

Few “no” votes? That means people don’t care if they pay an extra $2 or more on their monthly garbage bills.

Way more “yes” votes than anything? That shows a widespread acceptance of the program ... at least among those who actually filled out the survey. The only sure way to discount any spin is to respond to the survey.

County officials started the recycling program with the idea of it being self-sustaining thanks to a $1.27 per ton fee assessed on refuse being dumped at the landfill and funds from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

When they economy turned south, the amount of trash decreased with it.

Also, changes in what kind of trash qualified for the fee changed and — perhaps the biggest element in this mix — the state’s finances turned so sour no more money could be set aside to help the county’s program.

If residents want to continue recycling, it appears they will have to pay to cover the funding gap between what the county still receives from the tipping fees and the actual cost of the program — a difference of around $16,000 a month for the whole county.

Divided among a lot of households, it’s not a lot of money. But the amount is not the point. Residents need to speak up, now, on the recycling proposal.

That way officials can make decisions based on facts and not assumptions.

FYI

A survey to gauge residents’ interest and commitment to pay more on their solid waste bill for curbside recycling can be found through Friday on the city’s Web site at http://www.cityofdanville.

org or can be picked up at: city hall, 17 W. Main St.; Danville

Public Library, 319 N. Vermilion St., or the Public Works facility, 1155 E. Voorhees St. To receive a survey in the mail, call the public works department at 431-2382. The surveys will be logged by address.

Text Only

Editorials

Program develops talent
More than a few local employers continue to look for skilled applicants to fill job openings. Finding qualified candidates can be a difficult goal for some.

May 13, 2012
Celebrate Cunningham's victory
Danville High School student Christian Cunningham finds himself riding a wave of notoriety this week after being named the winner in the “Today” show’s singing contest for young people.

May 11, 2012
Sendak's tales a joy to read
Maurice Sendak, beloved children’s author who wrote about monsters instead of the princesses or puppies, passed away Tuesday at the age of 83.

May 9, 2012
Area offers lots of fun
As the cost of gasoline and other costs associated with travel continue to climb, more people are considering alternatives to traditional vacations.

May 6, 2012
Bill will help Postal Service
Members of the U.S. Senate recently passed S 1789, a bill that allows the U.S. Postal Service to essentially maintain its operations without costing taxpayers a dime.

May 5, 2012
Learn how to stop bullying
Area residents can take advantage of a special seminar about bullying scheduled for Tuesday at Danville’s Days Hotel.

May 2, 2012
D118 class helps build for the future
District 118 schools’ Introduction to Teaching class for high school students accomplishes two important goals. It provides high school students considering a career in education a look inside a classroom other than their own and it serves as a future recruiting tool for the district.

April 29, 2012
County board faces tough decision
Vermilion County Board members face an important decision in the near future regarding the future of the county-operated Vermilion Manor Nursing Home.

April 28, 2012
Time to talk about DDI
The future of Downtown Danville, a Special Services Area with its own tax rate, could be decided within the next few weeks.

April 26, 2012
An honor long overdue
A new marker now stands in Danville’s Resurrection Cemetery to mark the resting place of Martin McHugh — who passed away in 1905 — and his wife. Their graves had been unmarked for more than 100 years.

April 22, 2012
More Editorials Headlines

Editorials

Search Results

Discussion

Don't wait to take survey

Site Map

Contact Us