Sunday, May 17, 2009

OUCH!!! Mama Said That Burner Was Hot!

As the April showers taper off and the May flowers burst open in all of their finery I note that one had best enjoy the peaceful refreshing evenings on the back deck swing while they last.

I’m reminded that the long hot daze of summer is just around the corner and if rumored upcoming events have any credibility, the 3rd Floor Assembly Room air conditioning system is going to get quite a workout.

Not to worry though as Trish promises to have plenty of Sierra Nevada on hand for the afterglows at Studio’s.

As I understand it Mayor England has been renegotiating terms with Southern Indiana Waste Systems in order that they take a more active role in collecting refuse other than just household garbage.

That would include yard waste, brush, the occasional sofa, and the like. Of course this service would require a stipend increase in monthly fees.

The implementation of such would free up the Street Department to return to their duties of maintaining New Albany’s streets, signs, and other infrastructure.

The other hot button issue that may very well be on this Thursday’s agenda for our Common Council is a proposed Sewer Rate increase for Georgetown customers.

You can link to the Tribune article here; http://www.news-tribune.net/local/local_story_135111700.html

The jest of it is Georgetown has been given several extensions to the agreed deadline for them to transfer their waste water to their own treatment plant thus freeing up capacity for New Albany to move forward with its own development plans.

As I understand it as long as they are feeding affluent into our system, we are under strict scrutiny from the EPA looking for capacity overloads.

Were that to happen for any reason, we’d be back in lockdown stage in terms of our own growth & expansion.

For a variety of their own in house reasons Georgetown has been unable to begin construction on their treatment plant and our Sewer Board has decided further extensions without an increase in fees would be unwise for New Albany.

Of course all these efforts and many others as well require Common Council approval prior to becoming viable. And the odds are??

As you can readily see the summer is shaping up to be a warm one on the Sunny Side of the Ohio!

So what think ye of the above proposals?

As for me, I’ve no problem paying a few pennies a month more to see the trash gone.

On the other matter although I have no beef with the residents of Georgetown, I don’t see the wisdom continuing to treat their affluent if it risks us losing the ground we’ve gained in our ongoing effort to pacify the EPA.

All in all, I’d suggest coming early for the good seats and bring your own palm leaf fans!

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