It seems that every year we as residents get less and less from our garbage collection contracts and from our township. Manalapan’s most recent garbage contract is unacceptable. Pretty soon we will all need to purchase personal garbage trucks so we can transport all our garbage to the township recycling location because less is going to be picked up at our homes.
Our Township Committee has approved an impractical agreement. I know some towns may have better or worse contracts in effect, but that is not the point. Most towns are putting too much burden on residents. Future contracts need to be improved.
First: Yard debris/brush will no longer be accepted on any trash collection day; only at spring brush collection by the Department of Public Works that began on April 15.
All yard debris, brush, garden waste and similar items will no longer be collected. It is unrealistic to refuse to pick up yard debris/ brush. I am not speaking about grass clippings that are and can be mulched.
We purchased our homes in a rural community and as such have regular yard and garden debris, brush and small branches that need to be picked up routinely. We all have bushes we trim, hedges, evergreen shrubs, gardens, and so forth. It is unacceptable to expect residents to transport this debris to the recycling facility or to save it for a onceor twice-a-year township collection.
We must expect competent garbage pickup. We do not own trucks and we are not trash collectors. We are a community of many senior citizens, handicapped individuals, single parents, and so forth. We are a community of many small vehicle owners.
The current contract our Township Committee has allowed is unacceptable and will reduce the quality of life in our township and will make our township a less desirable place to live. I can only assume our committee members pay for a landscape service so it does not affect them, but many residents do not pay for a landscape service. Regardless, the committee members do not seem to care about the convenience of the residents.
Second: Two bulk items will be collected once a month on your last Thursday or Friday collection day of the month.
The limitations on bulk pickup are also unreasonable. Only two items only once per month is ridiculous. It could take months to have a set of anything picked up. I guess if any resident has a table and six chairs to dispose of, he will need to put two items out for pickup one time each month. It will only take four months to be picked up. This pickup example is not frequent, but it is also not accommodated in our new contract. Then again the resident can purchase a truck and dispose of it at the recycling center, assuming it is on the list of items the recycling center accepts.
Vincent J. Signoriello
Manalapan