Following a conversation today with Deputy City Manager Vincent Jones, I am withdrawing my call for a recycling boycott in Portsmouth. DCM Jones made me aware of relevant information not previously available to the public, which included both a timeline and a description of the steps the city administration took on receiving notice in June of the former recycling contractor’s intent not to renew. He assured me that the city retains its commitment to recycling and is moving forward to get the program back in full swing. I urged him to share with citizenry during Tuesday night’s regular city council meeting the detailed explanation he provided me. From what I learned, I am now convinced that the administration acted in the best interests of the citizenry, which means a boycott would be counterproductive.
PortsmouthCityWatch
Keeping the Focus on City Government in Portsmouth, VA, USA
Good to hear – thanks for this – and by the way, I have wanted to ask the city if they really want to encourage recycling, as it saves money for us all,not to mention land- fill space and air pollution, why don’t they incentivize us to do so? My sister in Columbus OH for years has been paying for removal of regular trash (by purchasing a tag for each barrel) but gets her recycled trash collected for free. So she’s very careful and coscientious. It’s a good idea! Why should caring citizens have no way of reducing their waste bills when they are minimizing what they throw away, while subsidizing those who choose not to bother to recycle? A program such as Columbus’s makes clear the leaders’ objectives and priorities and I think Portsmouth would do well to advance in that direction. I am passing this on because I have been engaging the city on enough matters for now but this ties directly into the issue you mention – Carole Duckett
We should take a page from the Columbus book. Thank you for suggesting it.