No spring cleanup fee for Carpentersville

Carpentersville will not join area communities like Elgin in holding a 2011 spring cleanup. The village board voted Tuesday night to pass on the event that would have added an additional $5 surcharge to every household's garbage bill while giving them the chance to dispose of more trash than is allowed on a weekly basis.

The idea for a Carpentersville cleanup came up in 2009 and was brought up again this year based on input from residents. The village did not want to incur an estimated $50,000 in additional fees to contract with Allied Waste for the cleanup so Village President Ed Ritter suggested a one-time $5 fee to cover the cost.

Ultimately trustees decided now is not the time to impose an extra charge on residents.

“People don't want to pay $5 when they have nothing to give,” Trustee Judy Sigwalt said.

Sigwalt referenced Carpentersville resident Julie Butters' comment earlier in the meeting imploring trustees to vote “no” on an increase in property taxes. Sigwalt said she couldn't support the project given the state of the village budget and the effect of the economy on residents like Butters, who said she lost her job eight weeks ago.

Carpentersville residents are routinely allowed to dispose of one bulk item each week. That means one couch, chair, table or console TV. Trash bags or items that do not fit in the 95 gallon trash carts can still be put out with the rest of the garbage as long as residents purchase a $2.70 sticker from the village.

Appliances require 10 $2.70 stickers to be picked up by Allied Waste and would still cost that amount in a community cleanup.

Trustees agreed it would be better to get more information to the residents about their weekly allotments rather than hold a community cleanup and charge all residents, regardless of their plans to participate.

“Five dollars is still $5 and if they aren't putting anything out, I don't think they would appreciate that charge,” Trustee Kay Teeter said.

The idea was forwarded to the wider board from the Audit and Finance commission with a 3-2 vote at its Nov. 11 meeting. The full board was much less split, voting unanimously against the cleanup.