Prior Lake American - Trash hauling could change; council wants cleaner streets - Comments

We’re still living in

bryan johnson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:26:16 -0500

We’re still living in America right, where it’s a capitalist society? What is happening to free choice and free enterprise and let the markets decide the rate and decide who wants to do business in a city? The city council voted to give themselves a raise and now discusses garbage cans looking ascetically pleasing. They’re sure earning their pay now. They want to limit free enterprise? How un-American is that! Why doesn’t the city council work on the water issue so we can have enough water to water our lawns in the summer? Why don’t they work on lowering our taxes? Why don’t they look at needs versus wants when it comes to spending our tax money? No, instead, they spend their time discussing ways to limit free enterprise in the name of what day a trash can will sit at the end of the drive way and what company will be “allowed” to pick it up. That’s a good use of their time and our money! What type of trash is this? So if the council limits the companies that can do business in the city or assigns a company to a certain quadrant, what’s to stop that company from raising their prices? We need competition between companies to keep the price competitive. If a company raises their prices too high, then another company can come in and offer a lower price and/or better service. We don’t need government getting involved. Anytime government gets involved instead of a private enterprise, it costs more and service is worse. I propose that we send Jack and the council packing in the next elections. No incumbents. They can sit at the end of their driveway with their bags packed. Of course, they’ll all have to sit there on the same day with the same color suitcase because we want them looking ascetically pleasing as they ride the Laker Lines out of town!

We too like the local firm,

wkothman — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:37:55 -0500

We too like the local firm, they do a great job and when you call you actually get to talk to a real person who knows where you live. I certainly wouldn't want to be told to use somebody else. Plus competition helps control prices. As mentioned by others, look what highway robbery Mediacom gets away with.

“People get tired of

dbmasters — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:25:10 -0500

“People get tired of seeing different containers on a street on any given day,” Haugen said.

Bahahaha, that has to be the single most ignorant thing I have read today...I am very social in my neighborhood and community and can't say as though I have ever heard one single person say anything on the matter.

But, letting the goverment managing something always leads to a better product for better prices...oh, wait, no, it doesn't...ever.

I think Mr Miller makes a

Jay — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:16:52 -0500

I think Mr Miller makes a good point. Competition is good and is, and should be, the American way.

Am I goofy? I think focusing city employee time on this is silly. Wear and tear on city streets? I would like to see that quantified. People up in arms about seeing different containers on the street? Is this for real?

My advise is get serious about more important issues and leave us the freedom to choose who we have our garbage collections done by.

p.s. Who is the outfit charging $13.95 a month? Thats real news I would be interested in. I think a lot of residents would be curious about that rather then this municipal masturbation.

The contract option would be

ondichmn88 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:00:04 -0500

The contract option would be the best solution. it would satisfy the need to have a organized garbage collection system without total control of garbage services by the city of Prior Lake. the big concern with city ran garbage collection it would be costly in the Prior Lake city budget which would lead to tax increases and it would not bring efficient service that a private sector garbage collection company would have. I think we can solve garbage collection problems without 5 or 6 different containers or tax hikes.

Seriously? This is the

LKKing — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:35:29 -0500

Seriously? This is the biggest quandary befuddling our city council? I would have thought they would be trying to figure out how to lure "big business" (any business?) back into the city limits to help with that half-million dollar budget trimming being discussed or maybe figure out why the bond for opening up a brand new school didn't go through, or the nature reserve...

Also, before we launch into the city choosing our garbage collection, let's revisit the franchise agreement making Mediacom Prior Lake's sole cable provider. Is everyone pleased with Mediacom?

I am more than pleased with my garbage collection service -- a locally owned and operated company that provides excellent service at an affordable price -- I prefer to stay "green."

Trash hauling could change; council wants cleaner streets

Lori Carlson — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:10:15 -0500

By Lori Carlson, Editor

In the next six months, Prior Lake residents could see a change in how their garbage is hauled – and who hauls it.