(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Parkersburg City Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl was absolutely right when she said last week that private options for municipal trash service were “worth researching.”

Her approach of “let’s see what we get” is important for a group of people responsible for both finding a way to provide the best service possible for citizens AND be good stewards of public money.

Examining all options is a good thing, and residents must not assume the requests for proposals from private companies are an indicator of a foregone conclusion. Once they have all the information in hand, council and the administration will be able to analyze whether the potential costs and benefits point toward a transition that makes sense for the city.

“I have no predetermined notion that privatization is the right thing to do,” said Mayor Tom Joyce. “I like to have all my options open.”

In fact, it is even more a comfort to know that Joyce is hopeful any proposals will include an agreement from the contractor that there would be a pathway for city sanitation employees to be hired to continue their work.

“I would want to at least put some kind of proviso that … they would retain everybody that passed their background check,” he said.

If residents have expressed discontent with the services available and with the city’s pay rates for sanitation workers, it stands to reason that responsible elected officials would explore as many ways as possible to get the job done.

“If there’s more options out there I’d love to hear them,” said Councilman Andrew Borkowski.

Indeed, if there is a better option for providing the sanitation service residents want and budgeting responsibly, we should all be eager to hear.