Point Reyes Light- July 27, 2000

Bolinas to vote on who should haul garbage

Directors of Bolinas Public Utility District last week decided to put an advisory poll on the Nov. 7 ballot asking town residents if they want the district to take over garbage collection from Shoreline Disposal in 2002.

The 45-word measure, which directors approved unanimously, will matter-of-factly ask residents if they want to see BPUD "take over solid waste collection services, acquire equipment, and provide residential and commercial garbage collection and recycling services" after Shoreline's contract expires on Dec. 31, 2001. The measure also vows that the "2002 cost for weekly curbside pickup would not exceed the current hauler's 2001 charges."

"I think we ought to explore taking over the services," director Paul Kayfetz said this week. "We would much rather consider the option of shopping around for dumping choices instead of being captive to service that uses one wholly-owned dumping location. This would allow us to look into less-expensive garbage service options as well as different recycling options."

Ballot arguments

Kayfetz explained that directors will try to ensure that arguments for and against such a change will be mailed to voters along with a sample ballot before the election. Directors at last week's meeting instructed manager Buchanan to draft an objective argument outlining the benefits of having the district start collecting garbage,

"We simply want to get the information out to the voters instead of having the ballot argument become a piece of advocacy," Kayfetz said.

BPUD directors also agreed to let Bolinas tax-consultant Malcolm Ponder to be in charge of writing arguments against the move. Ponder unsuccessfully ran for the BPUD board last election, and at the time he argued that Shoreline should remain as the town's hauler.

"The board definitely felt that it was necessary to have a con argument included," Buchanan said this week. "It's not a political issue for everyone. Some people simply want a friendly face to show up at their curb once a week to take away their garbage. They basically feel that if it's not broke don't fix it."

BPUD & Shoreline

The ballot arguments for the sample ballots will be reviewed and discussed by BPUD directors at the next board meeting Wednesday, Aug. 16. Final versions of the ballot arguments are due to the county registrar by August 21, and rebuttal arguments are due by August 31, Buchanan said.

Kayfetz explained that Shoreline's raising of collection rates is mostly what prompted directors to start looking at other options. Ongoing discussions with Shoreline representatives have been friendly overall, he said, although several outstanding lawsuits involving BPUD, Shoreline, Stinson Beach Water District, the county, and the owners of the now defunct West Marin Sanitary Landfill remain unresolved. "We've been embroiled in several lawsuits with [Shoreline], and it hasn't really helped the matter," Kayfetz said.

Kayfetz noted that the advisory measure is non-binding. "The board will look closely at the advisory poll results," he said. "But we will also take into consideration the discussion and information that comes out of the process. Obviously, if it's a 90 to 10 landslide in either direction then we will have to give a little more weight to the result."

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