WASTEFUL???

PMUA receives $1.2 million from the City of Plainfield as part of the municipal solid waste contribution. A 2006 auditor's report shows that "Public Can and Street Maintenance" amounted to $162,445. Yet PMUA claims $1.2 million isn't enough to clean up the downtown and the community parks so they assess an additional $21 per month on every property owner. This afternoon, we decided to visit each of the "parks" PMUA services. What we have found should be of concern to all residents. Remember, PMUA does NOT cut the grass, prune trees, fix broken equipment, etc. in these areas.

Total: 55 cans (*80) [equivalent to the cans shown above]

Simple Math Analysis: It costs a single-family resident approx. $800 a year for two weekly garbage pickups (this includes the $256 yearly shared services fee). If we wanted the garbage at the parks to be picked up six times a week, it would cost $2400 per year per can. This amounts to $192,000 per year for the daily pickup of 80 cans. This would leave over $1 million for the employment of seven streep sweepers and the disposal of vegetative waste.

* we couldn't walk the entire grounds of these areas so you may want to double the cans to give PMUA the benefit.

Please click here to see pictures of these locations.