(Letter to the Editor - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Transparency is apparently not a word the Parkersburg City Council is familiar with, because it has no interest in seeking the input of citizens on any issue the City has to deal with, including the sanitation crisis. Aside from severely restricting the public forum at council meetings, it has not held a discussion on the issue, which is now in a critical status.

Council has authorized the mayor to negotiate with one of two bidders on a contract that has not been awarded or even discussed in a public council meeting. In fact, the contract seems to be a done deal, despite the fact that no decision has been made as to whether or not contracting out trash collection and recycling services is even desirable.

Many people, including myself, think it isn’t, and that our current system works fine when the sanitation department is fully staffed. We have the equipment and facilities and have been doing the job well for decades. I say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But it is broken you might argue. Not really. It’s broken because the council has refused to address the issue for the past year, and the issue is simple: Sanitation Department staff are grossly underpaid and are resigning in droves. A recent review of the situation shows that the department is using workers from other departments and work release inmates to do the job, neither of which is desirable because they are both short-term fixes. In May, the mayor suspended the state required recycling program, which many residents participate in. Soon, the problem will result in a disaster.

The answer to the problem is quite simple: Pay sanitation workers – drivers and slingers – a fair wage, $22/hr. for drivers and $15/hr. for workers, and hire a qualified manager.

Then the mayor and council need to apologize to the public for allowing this problem to fester and grow for over a year! The citizens of Parkersburg deserve respect and deserve to be heard on this and every important issue!

Russ Bowers

Parkersburg