Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to Independence Township Supervisor Pat Kittle and his single waste hauler article (Township Times, Oct. 14, 2020).
How rude of Pat Kittle to direct his thoughts on a single waste hauler for the township to “those who currently dispose of their trash in a neighboring business’s commercial dumpster or a friend’s trash can down the street.”
Maybe this is what Mr. Kittle thinks about us, and if he does, it demonstrates his esteem for the people he has elected to serve. Sad.
This single waste hauler proposal was presented to the citizenry about eight years ago and was soundly defeated for many reasons. One question now is, how many times must we defeat it for it to stay defeated?
And more importantly, why now?
The middle of a COVID pandemic is not an ideal time to for citizens to make their voices heard. Last time this was presented, so many of us attended the council meetings that it necessitated moving to the high school to accommodate the crowd. Minimally, we should wait until the COVID health risks do not preclude handling this right.
We want the freedom to express our ideas about a single waste hauler and that means a public forum to do so. We do not want the right to “self-select.” We do not have a choice for our electric service, gas service, water service, and others. We are voiceless and sometimes we pay the price in higher costs and/or poor service.
Further, it is unconscionable to put these small trash haulers out of business. We have always been a community that supports small business owners and their families.
As for the roads, well, yes, there will be the need for road repair. That is the nature of roads. They are built to be used and there will be repairs regardless of a single waste hauler or multiple. That should not be the single consideration.
Road repair was not a consideration when the township proposed building a Walmart store at Waldon and Sashabaw roads. The car traffic and multi-axle trucks delivering to Walmart would have necessitated road repair, but it was never mentioned in the proposal to secure approval. It should not be now either.
Here is why we should not move forward on this proposal:
1) It was previously proposed and defeated.
2) The current pandemic necessitates that we, minimally, postpone until citizens can make their voice heard in person – next summer, perhaps.
3) It is wrong-headed to put these small businesses at risk. We love and support our small businesses.
4) Many of us don’t want a monopoly. We know from experience that monopolies most often result in higher prices and less service, with little to no recourse.
We want to choose our waste provider.
Except from the one contracted trash hauler, who stands to benefit from this proposal?

Sincerely,
N. Dusney
Independence Township