TO THE EDITOR:

I did not know that we have a railroad in Lincoln County until I attended the County Commissioners’ meeting on mandatory trash pickup, and observed first hand the railroad job we’re getting.

I attended the meeting on 1 August, fully believing that there would be discussion on whether or not there should be mandatory contractor trash collection. What I experienced was bureaucracy at its finest, with Chaircould man Walker Norman emphasizing that he knows more about how to spend county residents’ money than county residents do—even on trash. He informed us in his opening remarks that mandatory contractor trash collection “…is a done deal…” and the meeting was only to address input to the “Request for Proposal”. He stated that the county trash “crisis” started with a single phone call concerning one individual who couldn’t get a contractor to pick up the trash. So, the ultimate and only solution presented was to force everyone in the county to pay a “Trash Tax” for a contractor to remove trash. And, the message was “because I say so.” And the contract will be awarded on 29 August 2005, unless we stop it. Approximately 20 Lincoln County residents—both permanent and seasonal— were permitted to address the meeting, after the lengthy rationalization expounded by Chairman Norman. One speaker brought in petitions representing approximately 550 people against the contract, and another asked for a hand vote of attendees that yielded one or two in favor and about 150 against. No staff studies /cost benefit analysis/courses of action alternatives were presented to show why this is the only solution. One speaker observed, “This is a solution, looking for a problem.” Try these figures; Chairman Norman said the cost to operate the present trash transfer station is $60,000 per year. The cost to Lincolnton County taxpayers for mandatory trash pickup was estimated at about $15 (plus $1 administrative costs) per month per electric meter, or at least $750,000 per year, and easily go well above this figure. Another speaker observed— we could install two or three more trash transfer stations in other parts of the county and still spend far less than the contractor costs. Consider this: we will be required to pay the “Trash Tax” a year in advance; the county will dole it out monthly to the trash contractor. It is assumed that your Trash Tax will be invested to generate unscheduled funds for discretionary spending by the county (a sort of double-dip, since you can’t use your own money, but the county can). Chairman Norman ended the meeting by indicating that he would accept RFP input, but he would continue with the RFP/contract process, despite the overwhelming disapproval. I left the meeting feeling doubly betrayed by my “leaders”. Is there still some benefit of our expressing our opposition to this proposal by calling and writing our Commissioners? I hope so…please attend the commissioner’s meeting at 5 PM on Thursday, 11 August. Let’s derail this railroad!!!

BYRON S BALDWIN

County turning a deaf ear TO THE EDITOR

I attended the August 1 public meeting on the garbage pickup proposal for Lincoln County. After listening for the first half hour, I realized the situation was all “cut and dried.” No matter who came to the podium with an idea or a proposal, it would be listened to with a “deaf ear.”

A bill for garbage pickup is going to be included with the property tax bill that is due in December. The garbage bill is for a year in advance. Some property taxes have been delinquent for several years, if those can’t be paid, how does the county expect the property owners to pay a garbage bill that’s for a year in advance?

All property owners in the county, resident or not, will be paying for the garbage service whether you use it or not. Fair or not, that is the way it is set up. Only if you have a business with a dumpster will you be exempt. Why?? Ask your county commissioner.

As I understood at the meeting, there were three companies that bids were to be in and opened by August 26. No names of the companies were given to the public, so is the amount of the bids also going to be kept from the public? Unusual way to do the taxpayer’s business by having one company taking over the county, the commissioners are taking part of the livelihood of men who are hauling garbage in the different areas. I guess that, too, doesn’t matter to the commissioners.

I pay my electric, telephone and all other bills that render me service by the month for services that I have already received. The garbage bill that will be sent with the property tax bill will be kept in a file. After a service of garbage collecting for a month, I will pay for that month of service and it will be checked off on the bill, after the year is up, that bill will be paid. The county can send a bill for the next year. This is the way I intend to pay my garbage bill. I feel if the county can pay by the month, as stated at the meeting, I can do the same.

I found out, legally, I can do this. I do not have to pay before service is rendered.

BARBARA SUBLET

Disappointed with recycling

TO THE EDITOR

First let me thank all those LCAC members who turned out and/or spoke at the latest Board of Commissioner’s meeting on the proposed RFP for Solid Waste Collection.

Like you, I was very disappointed to find out the hidden truth about the recycling at the transfer station. I am a strong advocate of recycling and thereby reducing our landfill waste. Unfortunately the RFP does not mention or even recommend a recycling component. A realistic method by which materials could be recycled should lower any citizens payment to a trash company since the volume put in the landfill would be reduced.

The next meeting of the Lincoln County Action Council will be on Saturday, September 17 at 9:30 a.m. in the Library Annex. At this meeting, we will be starting our monthly series of having a Lincoln County Department Head as our guest speaker. Our meeting will also provide time for questions and answers concerning their department’s operation. We sincerely hope our citizens will look upon this as an excellent opportunity to learn how each County department functions.

W.L. Thackston, President

LC Action Council

Thanks to law

enforcement TO THE EDITOR

I would just like to express my thanks to our law enforcement agencies in Lincoln County and the city of Lincolnton.

I want to thank Chief Justice and his officers for doing such an outstanding job here in the city of Lincolnton. They are always so courteous and do such a good job of keeping our city safe.

Another note of thanks goes to Sheriff Lawson and the members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. They are also doing an outstanding job of keeping the county safe and secure.

I feel that these two law enforcement agencies do not get near the recognition they deserve. So as one citizen of Lincolnton, a heartfelt “Thank you and keep up the good work,” goes to both of these agencies. NICOLE M. KELLEY