Trash talk: Alabama cities, counties consider private garbage hauling Updated 8:54 AM; Today 7:00 AM

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 2751

Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
3347901729
Date: Oct 20 2019 1:47 PM

Daphne continues to grow and flourish, evidenced by new subdivisions popping up, schools being built and the ringing of cash registers at busy shopping centers and restaurants along Baldwin County’s Eastern Shore.

But you wouldn’t necessarily get a sense that the good times were rolling at Daphne City Hall in recent weeks as elected officials have debated whether to outsource the city’s Solid Waste Department and eliminate the 16-18 jobs that go along with that.

The tense but informative talks could reach a conclusion on Monday, when the council votes whether to continue with the service or seek to contract with a private firm or consider some other arrangement such as an intergovernmental agreement with the county.

“Every city does things differently,” said Daphne Mayor Dane Haygood. “Generally speaking, government cannot deliver services as effective or as efficient as the private sector. Government generally responds slow toward making adjustments.”

Trending private

The debate in Daphne is not unlike what is going on in council chambers throughout Alabama and boils down to a public policy question over dollars and cents: How much is the city willing to subsidize for what elected officials consider a “top notch” program? And are residents willing to pay more fees to keep the status quo?

Those questions, during the Recession that started in 2008 and affected local governments into this decade, were often met with a solution that involved privatization. The promises include cost savings through a reduction of operational expenses that include streamlined workforces and more automation, among other things.

CLICK FOR FULL ARTICLE

<- back