One of the largest operational expenses in removing Ulster County’s waste is the 10 tractor trailers daily that deliver 140,000 tons of trash a year, 250 miles to Seneca Meadows and 300 miles toNiagara Fallslandfills. This also adds to the tractor trailer carbon footprint.
The most pressing question that is not being asked is where will Ulster County’s trash go when these two landfills fill up (it’s only a matter of time) and to date, the Ulster County Legislature has not been successful in citing a county or regional landfill.
Recently, the Ulster County Legislature appointed five civic-minded members to the UCRRA Board, Leon Smith, Dennis Helms, Al Teetsel, Catherine Nilson and myself. The new Board read all the reports, conferred with legal counsel, monitored Rockland County’s very successful flow-controlled waste management system, and reviewed the recent Supreme Court decisions. The board then decided that it was in the best interest of the 186,000 residents ofUlsterCountyto implement flow control, to standardize and stabilize tipping fees as an avenue toward financial sustainability for the UCRRA, and to eliminate the Net Service Fee as a taxpayer’s subsidy.
It has been noted that the UCRRA board under (PBA) Public Benefit Authority, could do this alone and that the county legislature would have to subsidize it, however we chose to solicit the support of the Ulster County Legislature. While many legislators are supportive of the plan, some, for whatever reasons, are not. So the question remains, are we going to do what is right for all of the people of Ulster County, or are we going to do something for the special interests of Ulster County, with the possible return of organized crime controlling the tipping fees?
Charles Landi, UCRRA board member, Kingston
I’m with Mr.Dietl: I think there is great opportunity now to work with Mr Padalino, I think he values parent involvement: now’s a great time to change the school culture to one of civility, and kids helping kids learn.