By Dan Shriner
Review Editor
Orion Township officials opted to work out some details and get public input before considering again to pass an ordinance to mandate a single waste hauler.
Township officials had received an onslaught of opposition to the plan at a December 1 meeting and a full house of about 100 people showed up again on Monday night to offer input, which was expected to be against the plan.
Supervisor Chris Barnett quieted most of the opposition by telling the residents that their opposition was heard ‘loud and clear? and that he had no plan to move forward with the second reading and adoption of an ordinance. The board approved a first reading of the ordinance in December and could have adopted it had they voted to approve it. The ordinance would have required two readings before it took effect.
Other board members agreed not to push the ordinance forward.
During the meeting, Barnett and other board members suggested that the township needed to work out details of any plan to move to a single waste hauler by using officials and public input to develop a plan.
There are nine waste haulers licensed in Orion Township and combined those companies have 92 licensed trucks.
Prior to taking public input Barnett noted that he was surprised about how strongly people felt about having just one waste hauler. He said that during the last month, he has received personal attacks worse than at any time since he took office two years ago.
‘There were a lot of defamatory comments made about me,? Barnett said. He repeated that he was asked by many residents even before he took office if he would look at a plan to move the township to a single waste hauler, which would cut the numbers of trucks on the roads.
He said other board members also were inundated with emails, calls and letters regarding the proposed ordinance.
‘There are some passionate people here who love their garbage service,? he said.
Barnett and other board members said they would not want to move forward with any plan for single waste hauling until, when and if, a suitable plan could be formulated. Such a plan might have opt-out provisions and other provisions.
It also was suggested that the board put the issue to a vote. There is a state ballot proposal set for May 5. If township officials want to place the question on the ballot they would have until February 10 to do so.
‘Let’s put our heads together and not fight,? said trustee Donnie Steele.
A couple of times Barnett asked members of the crowd to respect the views of other and to keep the meeting quiet and civil.
Barnett said another suggestion was for the board to seek non-binding proposals from waste hauling companies to determine what kind of prices could be secured.
He noted that the Barnett said that the lowest rate for garbage pickup in the township now is $54 per quarter. It was noted by a spokesman for one of the services, Odd Job, that sometimes the rate could go as low as $39 per quarter if it included entire neighborhoods.
Jim Phillips, who identified himself as a resident of Lake Orion Village, said the village community has had a single waste hauler for several years and residents there are very pleased with the service. He said the cost is only $33.30 per quarter and offers more amenities than do other waste haulers in the township.
The village bills the residents on their water/sewer bills quarterly, Phillips said.
‘It’s a good deal and is half of what township residents are paying for less service,? Phillips said. ‘We hire it out to one service and it saves us a lot of money.?
Several township residents who spoke on December 1 and on Monday night said they wanted to be able to decide who their waste hauler is and having several of them provides choice and helps local businesses.
‘If I want to pay more, shouldn’t I have that choice,? asked one resident.
‘I’m not emotional about my trash service but I am emotional about my freedom of choice,? said another resident, Dan Hostetler.
The board voted 6-1 not to adopt the ordinance and instead work out a better plan. Steele cast the lone dissenting vote.