After hundreds of angry residents showed up at a recent meeting to protest the possibility of local governments getting involved in garbage hauling, township officials say they’ve trashed the idea of forming a solid waste authority.
Independence Township Supervisor Dave Wagner made the announcement at a Sept. 1 board meeting.
‘We’ve decided we’re not going to even discuss picking up garbage,? Wagner said, noting he’d recently met with the six other township supervisors involved in the CCIRF study. ‘We believe it’s a lost cause.?
The study, implemented last winter and paid for with $75,000 from the Oakland County Capital and Cooperative Initiatives Revolving Fund (CCIRF) initiative, was facilitated by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), an Ann Arbor based company.
During last week’s meeting, Wagner told the board the seven supervisors had collectively decided not to further retain RRS.
Before the Aug. 27 public meeting, Wagner explained, he and Springfield Township Supervisor Mike Trout ‘went over the entire presentation? with the RRS representative.
‘From Wednesday to Thursday it changed substantially,? Wagner said. ‘The message we wanted to send didn’t get out.?
Instead, both supervisors said, the group will continue to collaborate, but refocus efforts to concentrate on bringing some type of conversion technology to north Oakland County down the road.
‘We won’t be making much of an effort, at least not here in Springfield Township, to go forward with the recommendation to form an authority,? Trout said. ‘The group decided that’s not what we want to do at this time. But we have agreed to work together to pursue grants.?
In addition to improved recycling practices, both supervisors also said the possibility of a revenue-generating venture remains, but will involve much work.
‘We need to think big,? Trout said. ‘We need to get beyond studies and implement something.?