If people recycle they end up finding that the amount of garbage is reduced significantly and a once a week garbage collection is really all that is needed. Usually the volume of recycled refuse is greater then the normal garbage so with once a week pickups of garbage and recycling would work and reduce the towns costs, and help the environment.

The recycle trucks already commingle glass/plastic/paper. I see them throw it all in the same truck now! So I don't know why we, the residents currently have to separate recyclables ???

We need to keep twice week garbage collection. The issue with once a week is that if you are a tad late getting the can out or go away for a few days you end up with a 2 week buildup of garbage. I am definitely willing to pay more for twice weekly collection.

I think it's a great idea. Our recycling containers are overflowing, weekly pickup would be fantastic! I am a member of the Springfield Environmental Commission and personally think that reducing garbage tonnage and increasing recyclables is a win win for the Environment and the town. We only throw out regular garbage once a week anyway, twice a week isn't necessary. I hope the new contract gets voted through!

I would like to see the current garbage collection service contractor removed. The garbage men in our section of town have attitudes, are selective in what garbage they pick up and discriminate as to what gets picked up from one neighbor to the other based on holiday tips. Also, maybe the town can look to have more clarity on if there is a pick up on Thanksgiving Friday and rescheduling a pick up when a holiday falls on a Monday. In 2012, there were approximately six Monday's where there was no pick up for residents with Monday and Thursday pick up. Meanwhile, residents with Tuesday and Friday pickup's had only two missed.

Qwerty makes sense on the holiday situation that we should have a make up date especially if you go to once a week. I live alone so once a week is good for me but large familes probably need twice a week. id ask is there a way to set it up with once a week and possibly a place where if you need more where you can drop it off?

im for saving money but like other issues in town saving money isnt always the right answer and i am glad than anthony and the TC are asking for public input. ALL issues when it pertains to money should be discussed with the citizens at a township committee meeting something that while it was done in 2012 it wasnt done properly in theproper spirit. if you disagreed with the mayor you pretty much got ignored. i hope in 2013 the new makeup of the board will reverse this process. I know many people who were upset at how TC meetings were held in 2012. CHANGE IS GOOD!

I am at a holiday party so I wont be able to attend tonights meeting. I hope many people come tonight so they can question what the choices are?

Happy holidays everyone!

We recycle everything that is recyclable. We also have a lot of garbage.
Twice a week collection keeps odor down and helps if you occasionally miss a pickup or are out of town for a few days; it is not like these guys come at a consistent time. The one day you sleep 20 minutes late is the day they come at 6:45.

Once a week is a good idea but, you only save 100K? I realize the quantity of garbage is the same but, labor is about half as well as fuel, mileage put on the truck. Over the course of a year I would have expected the savings to be a pit more?

sure, let's keep providing less services for our high taxes. The savings for a family will be what, $50 a year?

Our large family recycles everything we can. We don't have much garbage as a result, and would love to have weekly recycling pick up

We need to keep twice a week garbage. The savings that we would get is minimal, and doesn't compare with the quality of life perception of 2x a week garbage pickup. Garbage would pile up, and a lot of people wouldn't have a place to keep their garbage. As a result, there would be more racoons and other animals in the garbage. Please keep twice a week garbage pickup!!

And what happens if that once a week pickups falls on a holiday? Do we have to wait an entire week for the next pickup. Right now, the half of the town who has pickups on Monday and Thursday, already loses days when Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving rolls around; but at least we don't have to wait an entire week for the next pickup.

I was actually surprised when I moved here to find such an extravagance of biweekly trash pick up. It appears that most suburban towns have weekly pick ups. I get that families with children generate more trash - since our youngest has moved out we joke that we could sell carbon offsets. Some weeks we don't even put out the trash because there's only one small bag. Our recycleables are another thing. Weekly recycle pick up would be great. Saving $100,000 on the town budget would be even better! Just think, if we started composting, we could probably decrease our trash output even more.

What was the outcome at the meeting?

Each town contracts with companies to pick up garbage and recycling, and the contracts are always for multiple years. That is why changes such as the reduction being discussed haven't been brought up before---the TC was waiting for the current contract to expire. The last contract reduced the towns cost based on the reduced tipping fees, which are a direct result of residents recycling and having less solid waste (garbage). Recycling is one of the things residents can do to help reduce costs for the town and ultimately themselves.

Has anyone considered the needs of multi-family residences? We may be in the minority, but our needs are somewhat different. I see more recycling now than in the past and it does accumulate rather fast. However, we need garbage pick-up twice a week. You can educate your children about what to put in the garbage, but you can not educate grown-ups who - in some cases - are unwilling to co-operate.
I. Rohonyi.

Does anyone, anyone, really think that this reduction in the most basic of municipal services will result in even the slightest reduction in taxes? Springfield must be the most poorly managed suburban city in the county. We all currently recycle. It's great. Who would disagree. We also all generate non recyclable garbage. So, what is the benefit in reducing one vital service and increasing the other? Who asked for this?Cost is minimal. Garbage is less hygenic to keep around for longer periods than paper and plastic? So, in the end, we continue to pay high taxes, suffer with less municipal services, suffer the embarassment of a crumbling downtown area and send our kids to schools ranked lower than all but one of our neighboring cities. Terrrfic work town fathers.

Why do i pay taxes? You cut all our services!!!! Next we will be paying for garbage pickup!!!! What a joke of a town!!!!!!!!!!!!