Some fiasco!
Our opponents are having a hard time this campaign season:
Do they recognize all the good things that have happened and claim their share of the credit? Or do they knock the record of success and blame the Republicans?
When it comes to the Recycling Center, knocking it seems to be their preferred strategy. "A fiasco!" they cry. Well, let's take a look at the real story, shall we?
The Recycling Center burned to the ground in 2002 when a stolen vehicle was left atop some flammable paper material. The heat from the vehicle ignited the paper, leading to a devastating fire. The site sat unreconstructed until building of a new Recycling Center began in the fall of 2004.
The Democratic-controlled legislature failed to act for over a year, jeopardizing access to insurance money. They never made a decision on locating, equipping, or building a replacement Recycling Center.
It fell to the legislature that took office in 2004 to tackle this issue. In May 2004, the following resolution was passed UNANIMOUSLY:
All Democrats (and all Republicans) agreed: this was progress.
As this moved through the legislative process, County Attorney John Bardsley filed suit to preserve our access to insurance funds. Without his action, we would have lost not only our Recycling Center, but money that rightfully belonged to the taxpayers to rebuild. In the end, we received about $2 million in insurance settlement money. Of the remaining cost to build and equip the new Recycling Center, we anticipate receiving $900,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, meaning that only a small fraction of the cost of the new center will be paid for with local dollars.
Through 2004, various obstacles were overcome: swapping property with the IDA/BDC to ensure access to and egress from the new Recycling Center; touring other facilities to learn about options; and passing various resolutions regarding design and construction of the new facility. The new facility opened for business in May 2005. It allowed the county to save a $12,000 per month fee we were incurring to transport our recyclables out of the county - a cost borne since the time of the fire - leading to immediate savings.
On the day it opened, the Recycling Center was operating at about 20% capacity, yet it was already saving county taxpayers about $50,000 per year over what the county had been doing. In the meantime, more capacity has been utilized, and we are projecting that in its own right, the Recycling Center will operate as a break-even financial proposition this year. That's right: on an annualized basis, this "fiasco" has saved the County about $150,000 in its first year!
As more revenue is realized, it will become a money maker year after year. We picked up business from Onondaga County (whose own center burned in a fire earlier this year). We have picked up more work from within the county. And we continue to work with the city and its hauler so that the city recyclables will be processed locally, adding more to the bottom line.
Exploding another myth
The myth that we haven't worked with the city and the hauler is simply untrue, as a check of the public record will make clear. The County Administrator, the Chairman of the Legislature, the Highway Supervisor, and members of the Highway Committee have all spent considerable time meeting with the city hauler and various city officials. While we haven't reached resolution on how to collect the city's recyclables, we know that this will happen. Yet even without the city on board, we are breaking even in 2005.
The outlook for 2006
Between the Landfill and the Recycling Center, the Administrator expects the county to net more than $158,000!
So, to recap:
The Democratic Legislature in 2002 and 2003 made no progress in rebuilding the Recycling Center.
The lack of progress threatened our access to insurance funds.
The Republican Legislature:
What would you call it?
Do they recognize all the good things that have happened and claim their share of the credit? Or do they knock the record of success and blame the Republicans?
When it comes to the Recycling Center, knocking it seems to be their preferred strategy. "A fiasco!" they cry. Well, let's take a look at the real story, shall we?
City & County Officials cut the ribbon at the new Recycling Center
The Recycling Center burned to the ground in 2002 when a stolen vehicle was left atop some flammable paper material. The heat from the vehicle ignited the paper, leading to a devastating fire. The site sat unreconstructed until building of a new Recycling Center began in the fall of 2004.
The Democratic-controlled legislature failed to act for over a year, jeopardizing access to insurance money. They never made a decision on locating, equipping, or building a replacement Recycling Center.
It fell to the legislature that took office in 2004 to tackle this issue. In May 2004, the following resolution was passed UNANIMOUSLY:
On motion of Dr. DiGiovanni, seconded by Mr. Willcox and adopted by a two-thirds roll call vote all members present voting aye, Agenda Item No. 8 became Resolution No. 148-04: A Resolution Authorizing the Construction of a Recycling Center and the Acquisition of Movable Equipment in and for the County of Cortland, New York, at a Maximum Estimated Cost of $2,985,000., and Authorizing the Issuance of $2,985,000. Bonds of Said County to Pay the Costs Thereof
All Democrats (and all Republicans) agreed: this was progress.
As this moved through the legislative process, County Attorney John Bardsley filed suit to preserve our access to insurance funds. Without his action, we would have lost not only our Recycling Center, but money that rightfully belonged to the taxpayers to rebuild. In the end, we received about $2 million in insurance settlement money. Of the remaining cost to build and equip the new Recycling Center, we anticipate receiving $900,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, meaning that only a small fraction of the cost of the new center will be paid for with local dollars.
Through 2004, various obstacles were overcome: swapping property with the IDA/BDC to ensure access to and egress from the new Recycling Center; touring other facilities to learn about options; and passing various resolutions regarding design and construction of the new facility. The new facility opened for business in May 2005. It allowed the county to save a $12,000 per month fee we were incurring to transport our recyclables out of the county - a cost borne since the time of the fire - leading to immediate savings.
On the day it opened, the Recycling Center was operating at about 20% capacity, yet it was already saving county taxpayers about $50,000 per year over what the county had been doing. In the meantime, more capacity has been utilized, and we are projecting that in its own right, the Recycling Center will operate as a break-even financial proposition this year. That's right: on an annualized basis, this "fiasco" has saved the County about $150,000 in its first year!
As more revenue is realized, it will become a money maker year after year. We picked up business from Onondaga County (whose own center burned in a fire earlier this year). We have picked up more work from within the county. And we continue to work with the city and its hauler so that the city recyclables will be processed locally, adding more to the bottom line.
Exploding another myth
Highway Committee Chairman Paul Allen and Mayor Tom Gallagher
chat at the ribbon cutting for the new Recycling Center
chat at the ribbon cutting for the new Recycling Center
The myth that we haven't worked with the city and the hauler is simply untrue, as a check of the public record will make clear. The County Administrator, the Chairman of the Legislature, the Highway Supervisor, and members of the Highway Committee have all spent considerable time meeting with the city hauler and various city officials. While we haven't reached resolution on how to collect the city's recyclables, we know that this will happen. Yet even without the city on board, we are breaking even in 2005.
The outlook for 2006
Between the Landfill and the Recycling Center, the Administrator expects the county to net more than $158,000!
So, to recap:
The Democratic Legislature in 2002 and 2003 made no progress in rebuilding the Recycling Center.
The lack of progress threatened our access to insurance funds.
The Republican Legislature:
- took the necessary steps to collect insurance money
- acquired grant funding
- did all the legwork needed to rebuild and equip a new Recycling Center
- reduced the local share of the cost to near zero
- operates at break-even today, saving the county about $150,000 a year
- has made as much in 7 months as the prior center made in its last year of operation
- has unused capacity which, when utilized, will improve the bottom line
What would you call it?
posted by Doc Paul @ 1:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home