Bates' Trash Pickup

Things in Riverdale Park have been going well. Its been a good but mostly uneventful summer here in town. One new situation that has my attention is the new trash pickup that the town has contracted out to Bates Trucking. In terms of convenience, there was nothing wrong with the town-operated waste removal system. Changes certainly did not need to be made based on how the system operated. However, I can understand the need for the more cost effective solution that Mayor Archer and the town council developed. If the tax money saved by outsourcing this service can be spent on code enforcement or the police department, then this is a great outcome.

So far I am almost satisfied with the services provided by Bates. The Monday and Thursday pickups are no different than before, and I haven't had any problems with the pickup. The trash bin that was provided is convenient for my family. Its nice to have one that is easy to wheel out to the curb rather than hauling two smaller bins like I've been used to. The large size is also good for larger items that wouldn't fit in a smaller container, yet aren't quite "bulk" waste.

My one complaint though is the change from Monday to Wednesday made in regards to yard waste. The town's Monday pick up was convenient because my family and I are much more likely to do yard work during the weekend. I feel most people probably feel the same, since most people's schedules probably don't include mowing the yard or trimming the hedges on a Tuesday. It was pretty easy to do much of my yard work on Sunday afternoon and put the waste right to the curb. With the new schedule the choice is leaving bags by the curb for several days, or having to store the waste with the rest of my trash for a few more days. The Monday pick-up is a small detail that might give the yards in our town just a little bit more curb appeal. If collecting yard waste is too much for Bates to accomplish on the same day as common trash, then I would be happier with a Monday yard waste pickup and a Tuesday-Friday for the rest.