By Tams Mondovics
With the way garbage, recyclables and yard waste are collected in unincorporated Hillsborough County may be changing next year, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners have arranged to host five public meetings to help residents understand service options and fees, as well as voice their thoughts.
“The BOCC wants to know what residents think about the new garbage collection options,” said Willie Puz with County Communication and Digital Services.“Each public meeting will also be broadcast live over the internet, so residents who can’t attend in person may log in and comment through live chat. A video will also be posted on the Talk Trash Webpage.”
With the current contracts expiring in September 2013, Hillsborough County has asked for bids on four residential collection service options for garbage, recyclables, and yard waste.
The options include the current 2-1-1 (household garbage to be collected twice a week in customer-provided containers; customers to sort recyclables into County-provided green and blue bins for collection once a week; and yard waste to be collected once a week in customer-provided containers and/or bundles) manual collection service.
Options two and three may be referred to as 2-1-1 and 1-1-1 automated collection service respectably, as well as the fourth option; a 1-½ -1 automated collection service, where household garbage to be collected once a week in hauler-provided roll carts; recyclables to be collected every other week in hauler-provided roll carts, and yard waste to be collected once a week in customer-provided containers and/or bundles.
The first of the five meetings was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 27, with the four remaining meetings to be held this month on Saturday, December 1 at 10 a.m. at the SouthShore Regional Service Center , 410 30th St. SE in Ruskin, Monday, December 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library, 11211 Countryway Boulevard in Tampa, Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave. in Tampa and Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m., Strawberry Crest High School, 4691 Gallagher Rd. in Dover.
Residents may also comment on the topic or voice their thoughts in a number of ways; some of which include the county’s Talk Trash webpage at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/talktrash or by sending an email to talktrash@HillsboroughCounty.org.
