(Letter to the Editor - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

This is what you might call a “trashy” letter, but if you live in Parkersburg, you should take the time to read.

Your mayor and his buddies on council are trying to privatize your city trash service. I would say they are lazy and incompetent!

Lazy because it’s a lot easier to take bids, award contracts to outside companies and wipe their hands clean of the problem with our city trash service.

Incompetent because apparently they lack the ability or knowledge to fix the problem.

The mayor and most council members are in their second terms. This problem should have been taken care of years ago. My trash man told me of the pay problem four years ago.

They will probably claim they are trying to save the city money, but the citizens that have their trash hauled away will be shocked at the cost increase, not to mention all the new rules and regulations that will be implemented.

Right now, city trash customers can put almost anything out on the curb and it will be gone next day. Not so with contract haulers. Bulk items such as furniture, appliances, etc., city shows up and it’s gone. Not so with contract haulers. Everything costs extra with contract haulers.

You can bet the companies that are in the bidding process are lobbying our city leaders to give them the city’s business. They are looking at 13K new customers with short hauling distance to the dump. Easy money!

Our city trash truck drivers are required to have a CDL license, meaning they are highly trained professionals operating the refuse trucks … in other words, they deserve better pay.

I urge all 13,000 city trash customers to start calling your mayor and council. Tell them NO to privatization, keep it in the city. If they say the city can’t afford it, tell them to stop feeding you garbage.

William Smith

Parkersburg