Saratoga News

Letters & Opinions

Trash talk provides good results for local residents

They're talking trash in the West Valley cities, but what they're saying sounds good. The West Valley Waste Management Authority is putting the finishing touches on a garbage collection plan with just a new rate structure is left to approve.

When all is said and done, residents in Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga and Campbell should be happy with the result. A new garbage contract with West Valley Collection and Recycling goes into effect on March 1, and Steve Glickman of Los Gatos, Curtis Wright of Monte Sereno, Nick Streit of Saratoga and Don Burr of Campbell deserve credit for what they've accomplished for their four communities.

Residents will see a number of positive changes in their garbage collection service. Customers will receive, at no charge, new wheeled trash containers with lids. Only one container will be needed for recyclables, meaning that residents will no longer have to sort their paper, plastic and cans into separate containers. What's more, customers will have free access to an E-waste station in San Jose where they can drop off electronic devices, paint, batteries and fluorescent lights.

The authority was to decide on a new rate structure at a meeting on Aug. 24, but postponed the decision until Aug. 29 in order to gather more information. If the new fee structure is approved, residents would pay less than a $1.50 per trash container monthly increase for the improved service.

"We are looking at a fairly modest increase," Glickman said to the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. "At the end of the day, we've got to pay what we owe."

And at the end of the process, the four West Valley communities will have better trash service at a reasonable price, thanks largely to the efforts of Glickman, Wright, Streit and Burr.