Bellringer "Out to Lunch"

Yup...B.C.'s Auditor General, Carole Bellringer, is out to lunch if she thinks she has a good grasp on the recycling program(s) in the province.
She's obviously listening to the wrong people.

A November 10th Kiss-FM news story reported that no recycling audit was necessary.

""Such as ensuring the quality of reporting and recycling outcomes, expanding access to recycling services to more locations throughout the province including  rural communities, and encouraging accountability through transparent financial reporting."

The program's working well, Ms. Bellringer?
Really?

"Those who make, distribute or sell certain types of products are responsible for recycling them.

 The intent is to take the responsibility off of taxpayers

 and local governments and put it with the producers,"

 Carole Bellringer, B.C. Auditor General

Abject hogwash.

Have a look at "those who make, distribute or sell..."

Notice something?  (You should...)
Well, perhaps not...because you have to dig for it.

"Those who make..." includes Weston Bakeries, the largest bread manufacturer in Canada.

an apt description...

"So does Bellringer know that bread bags aren't allowed in the recycling containers?", Kia would've asked.

Apparently she hasn't a clue that bread bags aren't allowed.

The problem with recycling program(s) in B.C. should ring a bell.
But apparently not for everyone.

Just more ka-ka from the B.C. government, whose regional districts got lots of moolah (= bribe?) to enable the program...

Residential Complaints Head to Victoria...Eventually

Victoria occasionally needs ganging up on by municipalities.

Especially when the MLA--in this case Eric Foster--dragged his heels (or knuckles) and refused to handle residents' complaints.

Think of Stickle Road (which isn't in Coldstream's area...but a contentious issue nevertheless).  Residents and business owners of that area attended several public hearings where the Ministry of Transportation heard concerns and suggestions designed to improve safety where the road meets Hwy. 97N.

MLA Foster didn't even attend.
Finally explaining why, he inanely stated it was to prevent it "being all about me..." 

Huh?
All about him?

But he jumped into the Amphitheatre fray early on, and soon announced that he would tell Victoria not to allow its construction, stating that a more suitable location needed to be found...(away from all those angry voters.)
 
That's basically what the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities meetings are...communities all over B.C. attend with recommendations in an attempt to gain allies among mayors and planners and bureaucrats so that projects have an improved likelihood of success with government ministers.

Whether communities want money, more money, more money or more laws and money, they go to the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities meetings with their recommendations.  "Minister grovelling" has become downright critical to a community's goals.

Let's see what's firing Coldstream's jets this year:
(Click table to enlarge)

• Water infrastructure funding...yup, residents on the GVW water system are all, well, tapped out. Especially since they're meeting soon to discuss new water rates and furthering the Master Water Plan despite the $70 million borrowing referendum having been rejected in November of 2014.

• MMBC recycling program...FINALLY a hint that officials have been listening to residents' complaints.  Seems they're finally realizing more and more people are simply putting "un-pickup-ables" into the garbage, having given up sorting and separating previously accepted items. 

• Complaints or issues arising from ALR properties ... whether it's the bird-guns or helicopters that protect cherries from birds and rain damage, residents are wondering whether mile-high buffers are necessary. 

Back to water.
Bob Spiers' Vernonblog indicates three recommendations that are on the hot plate in the next month at RDNO/GVW:

1. Greater Vernon Water (GVW) Strategic Plan for Rates and Fees Structure Workshop – Questions & Answers - Report dated June 20, 2016 RECOMMENDATION 2 Page 1 That the requested information from the May 26, 2016 Special Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting regarding the Greater Vernon Water (GVW) Strategic Plan for Rates and Fees Structure Workshop be received for information and discussion at the July 21, 2016 Special Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting. 2. Financial Options and Considerations – Greater Vernon Water Master Water Plan - Presentation from the April 14, 2016 GVW 2012 Master Water Plan Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting FOR DISCUSSION Page 14 3. 2012 Master Water Plan Review – Stakeholder Advisory Committee Statements and Recommendations - Report dated May 2016
RECOMMENDATION 3 Page 22 That it be recommended to the Board of Directors the request from the Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan to hire an independent engineering consultant to undertake a peer Greater Vernon Advisory Committee Agenda – Regular - Special - 2 - June 29, 2016 review of the 2012 Master Water Plan not go forward. 

By the way, don't look for the agenda yet that contains the above.
It'll be available to we peons a few days before the meeting(s).

 

 

"What's that saying...give (some) politicians two terms...one in office and one in jail?" asks Kia.

Trash Haulers Fined $450,000 for Banned Recyclabes

The stuff doesn't go away.
It's clogging boxes in corners and pantries...in the residence, in the clubhouse, in the shop.

When you work 7 days a week for 6 months as I do, there's no time to drive to a recycling center and drop off the stuff that used to be picked up in clear bags before the onset of Multi-(Mini) Material's new recycling plan.

This overwrap, accumulated in the clubhouse, isn't eligible for Emterra's recycling boxes!

A Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 story in the Vancouver Sun may be just the tip of the iceberg to give us all an inkling of what may occur (recycling police?) as more and more acceptable recyclables unfortunately make it back into the waste stream (where it was formerly segregated for recycling).

Private trash haulers are fined for having forbidden recyclables in their loads.
Recent fines on the Coast were:

"Waste Management topped the list at $82,437, followed by Smithrite Disposal at $75,083; Northwest Waste $38,596, BFI Canada (Progressive Waste) $37,854, Super Save Disposal $34,509, Maple Leaf Disposal $17,891, City of Burnaby $17,443, and Waste Control Services $11,625," reports writer Larry Pynn of The Sun.  A $74,298 fine was levied at the City of Vancouver's transfer station and landfill in Burns Bog in Delta.

How about residents?
"Residential drop-offs, typically pickup trucks and vans, were responsible for $22,511 in surcharges," states the writer.  It was reported that "inspectors 'eyeball' garbage from a distance and make a percentage calculation if there is a violation, adding that because Metro controls the only local disposal facilities, they can act as judge, jury and executioner, with impunity."

When the "recycling cop" tells a pickup truck owner he can't unload that portion of his load without a fine of, say, $50, the homeowner generally takes the offending article--usually corrugated cardboard, etc. --back home.


Paddy O'Leary's letter to the editor today (excerpts reprinted below) is simply one more of many complaints about it, but no-one listens.
Nobody in government anyway.
They don't care because each regional district (there are 18 in British Columbia) received one million bucks ($1,000,000.00) to implement the program. 

So government did implement it.
And won't revisit it to address the problems residents face.

To hell with public input, to hell with seniors not being able to carry the heavy containers down stairs and down icy driveways (versus the previous plastic bags that could be bounced down stairs).
That's apparently government's stance.

"This new Emterra system is not so good...what I find offensive is that we have been manipulated.  Our leaders know that over the years, we have learned the benefits of recycling and it has become a habit.  We are victims of bait and switch. I now have to do a lot more sorting than before.  The homeowner does more work so Emterra doesn't have to.  

Plastic (over)wrap as used in toilet paper and paper towel packaging is not allowed so we must package it up and deliver it to a collection depot in our gas-guzzling car.

...We can't put paperback novels in the recyclng bins but phone books are OK.  At first I couldn't see the difference between paperback novels and paperback phone books.

Then I started thinking that maybe numbers break down easier than words.  Yup, that makes sense."

Paddy O'Leary

"Yes, numbers (dollars) do break down faster than words (complaints from residents) with government", grins Kia.

Note:  Pen Plast Environmental is the maker of the Emterra recycling lid-less, wheel-less containers we must all use.

You'd think Emterra would've bought us all the nicer ones with lids and (hidden) wheels, made by the same company!

At least these can be wheeled to the curb, and prevent rodents gaining access.

Seems Emterra is like the B.C. government.
They don't care either.