Oh, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Who cares? Pay your garbage bill and stop worrying about others. They will catch it in the butt when they get caught.

I can whine if I want---I'm tired of seeing people get away with beating the system---not just here; everywhere; and, those of us, who seem to follow the rules and laws, end up being the looser in the long run either by paying higher taxes or something else financial in order to make up the difference for those who beat the system.

If you noticed the other major point I was stating was that no one seems to be in charge of this or else people wouldn't be getting away with not paying a garbage bill. Whether it's the borough's fault or Waste Management's fault, someone isn't doing their job. Try not paying your wage tax for a period of time. I'm sure you wouldn't get away with that for a very long time. Sone of these neighbors on my street have been neglecting this bill for years.

Well, I attended the borough meeting tonight to find out if anything would be said about the garbage bills. There was--only to hear Council say that they have been looking into it for the past 8 months. I don't know about anyone else but a light should go off somewhere with someone about maybe terminating Waste Management's contract before the rest of us who pay the bill get charged extra or before it goes up. Again, this has to do with being able to have a check and balance system-remember it is a business. I'm sorry--but the answer Council gave wasn't acceptable to my ears. Maybe we should just all quit paying the bill; or how about we pick someone on the street and we all take our garbage to that house and SPLIT the bill. Although I did hear one member say that many residents are using the dumpsters by the high school. There's a thought.........hmmmm

I just wanted to add. . .When I first moved to Brentwood and got a 'garbage bill' I thought, what in the world is this? Isn't that what we pay taxes for? I lived in the city all of my life and never had to pay a seperate bill for garbage pick up. In addition, I was once late paying my 'garbage bill' and they did not pick up my garbage for 2 weeks. After paying my bill up to date and not being sure if the garbage men would get word that I paid, I put my garbage with the neighbors ( about 5 feet away from my usual curb spot). They took it. . .I was a little agitated to find out that some people don't pay just because they have lived here for a while(apparently before they started billing people) and furthormore, I am still unsure of why refuse pickup is not included in our already high taxes?

From what I have gathered, up until about or around 4 years ago, the residents did have the garbage bill included with something in the borough. Then Council chose to go to Waste Management for billing and refuse. Shouldn't the borough have turned over all the names of the residents--not just us nubies that moved in? As you have read, many long timers slipped thru the crack when the bill handling was passed over. Again, I am challenging the accountability of someone. If Waste Management doesn't have all the names in the borough, then they can't charge the borough the proper amount; only for the names on the list, right? So is the borough saving the residents money, or are the residents being cheated?

As far as I am concerned, not paying your trash collection bill is like not paying your cable bill. Would you go and complain at a council meeting for them to do something about your neighbor not paying for cable? What does council have to do with trash collection? Yes, they made the decision to go through WM but they bill independently. Now the borough is not losing money Waste Management is.

Waste Management is an independent business. If they are not billing correctly, then they are losing money. This makes everyones bill go up. Maybe you should call them and turn in your neighbor who is not paying. You might want to try putting your energy where it belongs.

Dear Wiz,

What a surprise, you defending council and talking garbage!!! Sorry, I could not resist, you make things so enticingly easy and fun!!! Well, here we go:

Firstly, is there not a committee on council called LIGHTS & REFUSE? Is there not a chairperson of that committee? (Little hint: traditionally this wonderful committee is spearheaded either by those on council that the others despise or the most junior member which of course could be considered an up and coming threat to their power) In my opinion, it would seem to be a council issue because 1.) In previous posts it has been stated that some residents utilize the dumpsters at Brentwood Park for their garbage needs. If this is true it is in clear violation of the posted signs that state that those dumpsters are for public works only and that there is a posted fine. I also find it to be a council matter because 2.) if these are being utilized by unauthorized people, the sheer increase of garbage volume would necessitate an increase in service pick-up, thus resulting in increased service to this site, thus INCREASED BILLING FOR OUR BOROUGH and those who pay for these services in the end are our taxpaying residents. Whoa!!! This line of thinking is called The Bigger Picture. It eludes many in this town. In my opinion it is more apparent on the clueless expressions of our current council and their supporters when faced with a good question or concern as that of oscuby8.

On that note, let me continue. Wiz, for you to suggest that the garbage bill is akin to the cable bill raises quite an interesting point. I may even agree with you on the similarity. Why, you ask? You see, it is my understanding that our lovely council meets and approves an agreement with our cable supplier to see who services us and receives our business. I believe that on our cable bill that this little piece of the pie is referred to as a Franchise Fee. If you check your monthly (comcast) cable bill you will see that OUR Franchise Authority is Shacog. Last time I checked I believe that this stood for South Hills Area Council Of Governments. Soooooooooooooooooooo, my dear wizard, Oscuby8 would not be out of line to express concern for her cable bill and likewise her garbage bill based on that line of reasoning. I am under the impression that the garbage services contract may be awarded. I object to to your completely proposterous stance that only Waste Management is losing money not the borough. Hello, there! OUR residents are losing money because they are being charged to make up for those who are not. Our borough loses money because those extra couple of bucks could have been spent at a local business instead of expecting some of the residents to foot the bill for others. You would think that some progressive council member would jump for this to be their platform and right the billing procedure so that it would be fair and just. As evidence of their clear support of scoundrels amongst them, I think a brick wall would have to topple them to see fair and just. Besides, it could be dangerous to rock the boat and begin billing any longstanding residents. Doing the right thing may cost them longstanding votes. Its just a sickening entitlement mentality that they don't see a problem with new residents shouldering the burden of others obligations and responsibilities as a homeowner.

Osuby8, do not let the wiz bring you down. You keep using your energy to see that right is right, fair is fair and just is just. I will always stand with you and support good. This issue that you brought up should be a testament of our councils' apathy towards our residents. Let me rephrase that, they do care for their own hides and of their supporters who have got away with this for years. The House of Brentwood needs to be cleaned and rid of the current way of thinking. Everyone, don't forget these little straws that collectively broke our backs over the years, come the next and future elections. Remember the 'face' of council now and vote to put a new face on council. Change cannot begin until we begin the change of guard.

PS: Wiz, please use your energies to look more thoroughly at your cable bill. Do you even get a cable or garbage bill? I would not be surprised to learn that you feel that cable pirating, like being a garbage scofflaw is no big deal to you, either.

Dear Sleepless in Br...,

thank you so much for the comments and support. I'm finally glad to hear someone speak about something with facts and business $ cents $...

Don't forget to mention the fact that if the residents keep using the dumpster in the park how many more rodents (RATS) may start to appear. It's the domino affect; one to one to one.

And for the WIZ,
What I think it all trickles down to is that RESIDENTS and COUNCIL MEMBERS
owe it to both the borough, friends, and neighbors next door, to pay and investigate what is their responsibility. But investigating for 8 months with NO results or answers is now not a reason but an excuse. Would you want, or better yet, LET your neighbor feed off of your cable line while you're paying the $100/month cable bill? Probably not, right? Try and see it from that perspective. And if you said so what--then I want to know where you live so that I can feed off your line and you can pay my cable bill/satellite bill.

There has been quite a lot of discussion about people not paying for refuse pick-up and whether it is Council's problem or a problem for Allied Waste. If this is truly a problem, why doesn't the Borough simply give the refuse contractor a list of all of the property owners in the Borough who pay property taxes? The contractor could compare this list to the list of properties where they pick up refuse. Bashing the 2 lists together should resolve the majority of descrepancies for the alleged under-billing.

Catalyst,

It is not Brain surgery, you are correct. The problem is that no one has ASKED Council to do anything as of yet. These folks think that because they post it on the Blogs that Council should respond. That is NOT how it works. I have missed two meetings the whole year. I attend both the Agenda and Regular meetings and nothing about trash pickup or dumpster dumping has been mentioned. They need to step up and bring it to the attention of the Chairperson of Refuse and Lights and not hide behind the blogs. This is a good point but complaining here does nothing to correct it. I look forward hearing from Oscuby8 or Sleepless at the next meeting. You two are pushing this so step up.

I am sure that Allied Waste received a list from the borough when this agreement was signed. There are many home sales in the borough every year. How do we all know that Allied Waste does not request a new list every year? If the folks on the not paying list are renters then their landlord is the one paying the collection fee and it is part of their rent payment. If they own the house and are on the not paying list this needs to be brought up to Allied Waste or Council. The problem here is that no resident will do the work needed to solve the problem. They just want to complain and let someone else do the work for them.

Lifelong,
The subject was brought up at last months meeting. Future Council Person Mario Richards mentioned it, and even went as far as saying that he knew who several of those people are. He did not want to give the list of names to council though. Not sure what his reasoning is, but that was his stance on it. I will make it easy on everybody who doesn't want to be a snitch. Send me the names, and I will rat everyone out. I don't care if I am the bad guy, it's what I live for.

I think that council should give refuse to Mario, then he can take care of it himself in January.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I cant wait until he takes office, the lesson of voting blind will show in full and true colors. When the almighty was passing out brains he heard trains and asked for a slow one.

I am back since I took the summer off from my computer to work. I was behind on my garbage bill. The trash was building up on the street as if it were a blogger on this site. You could not even see where my trailer used to sit. It is now gone, they took it away to raise money for the skate board park. I have missed a lot. I will catch up over the next several weeks. Mc Cheese, it looks as if you put some weight on. I can see you do not need to worry about working over time to pay your trash or sewer bill.

Sleepless

I agree with Wiz, you are a pompous wind bag. And you need to let go of those deep harbored hatreds you clutch to over the present council. Or is it anyone and everyone that doesn’t agree with the Mayor? How sad it is that you have to live in the shadows of someone else!

As far as garbage goes, the Code Enforcer should be policing the residents of the borough in hand with Allied Waste for neglected garbage bills. Again, in case you didn’t get it straight, Allied Waste works with the Code Enforcer over collections. The Code Enforcer sites the residents and bingo, the borough recoups there money. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. Council does not get involved in collecting, citing, or recouping money from residents. Of course, I am sure you will find a way to blame council. It is your motif.

PS It is indigent to continuously fault a populace without having significant knowledge.

Hi to all,

I have the correct answers as to who is responsible for going after the people who don't pay their garbage bill from a Supervisor at Allied and it only took me 1 phone call.

4 years ago when Council signed a contract with Allied, Council was originally responsible for handling late payment notices and notifying Allied with property ownership changes. Midway thru the contract Dytko wanted the contract changed because she felt the borough shouldn't be responsible for notifying residents with late notices with a $15 penalty attached to the bill; having to pay borough employees and the use of office supplies were not going to be compensated by Allied; therefore, Allied went to individual billing.

Now, according to Allied there are 3 ways they try to stay on top of property changes in billing: 1. they rely on the new property owners to call and ask for a bill. 2. they follow the water bills to see the ownership changes and prorate your garbage bill to go along with when you had your water turned on. 3. they rely also on the tax notices that the borough is to supply them with and the county to refer back to for people who rent.

If you were already paying a garbage bill and you stopped paying it; you won't receive any type of late payment notice until 120 days past due. If you still fail to pay you are then turned into collections. If you don't pay and move; they try and track you down by ways of the county assessment pages, the borough in case of forwarding, (the following is the one I liked the best)--or they send an auditor around the borough to people houses that aren't paying on garbage pick up day because as soon as the trash gets put out on the curb it is "their property". This gives them the right to go thru your trash looking for any paper trail for names or addresses or family they may contact in order to find you. But after all is said and done, they still give Council a list of past due residents because they are still supposed to help with the late notices. So I asked, "your telling me that Allied is 90% responsible for finding those who don't pay, and the borough is 10% responsible in helping to find those who still owe", she replied "yes".

Apparently, someone else must have called with these types of questions because she had it all down pat as soon as I said I was from Brentwood. Here is a warning to all who aren't paying---look for that person going thru your trash because they are sending an Auditor around tomorrow and for the next couple of weeks. I hope you own a paper shredder.

To summarize this: For those of you who aren't paying--will be turned into collections (big deal). This is why the dumpsters are probably filling up. Although I don't see the garbage guys walking around with a clip board saying "take this one but not that one". Council changes in mid contract to individualized billing by Allied but are still supposed to help in billing late notices; and for those who rent and move who don't pay--well they usually get away with it because they have a hard time trying to track them down, especially if they have unlisted phone numbers and don't own anything. She also said that after this audit if they find a lot of people aren't paying--our bill will increase next year for those who are. But in the same sense--if they get those people to start paying, our bill could decrease (unlikely).

Is it my mistake to think this-- but doesn't Brentwood have a lot of rental properties? That should say something about the billings in question. And, I was always under the impression that a garbage bill follows the owner of the house not the rentor. That's how liens could be put on the house. So as a landlord, wouldn't you want to make sure that the garbage bill is being paid. Because eventually they will catch up with the owner and make that person pay all and late fees. Just food for thought.

I put forth my energy towards the right direction. I'm on the train, not sitting in the station.

Good for you! I got a simular answer, only they stated Code Enforcer, not council should help track late fees.