Editor, Say no to polycart pickup! I believe the county is making a big mistake in forcing the county residents to have trash pickup. I live on a dirt road and so do many other residents in the area. Many of these roads are considered private roads, and therefore not maintained by the county. All the residents on these roads have to work together and maintained the roads themselves.
Having these huge trash trucks come down our roads and put deep ruts in them will make them impassible during the rainy season. This is not what I call a fair trade. If the county would like to pave these roads, I believe the residents would not mind the service. But until then, it should not be forced on residents.
I have seen in other areas where the county has made residents bring their carts to the end of the road and I say no way! If I have to put my trash in my car, I might as well drop it off myself. Many residents don’t own trucks, so it would be difficult to pull the cart to the end of the road.
Another problem I see is the cost the residents would be charged. Many residents will be forced to pay more than double for a service they already have. Many of my neighbors are retired and live on fixed incomes, and the extra cost will be a burden on them. I don’t see how the county will save money by purchasing several new trucks and paying salaries for the extra drivers in order to pick up trash. With all the rising cost of fuel, I can’t see how the county will say that they saved money.
Instead of driving to one of the six convenience centers to pick up many residents’ trash, they would rather drive miles and miles throughout the county to pick up everyone’s trash. It is not like in the city where we all have neighbors close by. There are acres between each residents and I don’t see how that will save the county money in the long run. Is the county also going to provide recycle pickup?  If so, how will this impact the costs?
Like many of my neighbors who recycle, the convenience center fits the lifestyle out here. We can bring in our items as needed instead of letting them pile up for a week.
Living out in the country has its advantages and disadvantages. I worry about the many stray dogs that wander out here, getting into our trash and making a huge mess. I am uncomfortable about leaving items piled up waiting for trash day because of the many snakes and other wild critters (possums, raccoon, etc) living in our area. I believe having polycarts will attract more critters than I would want in my yard. What would be the impact on the wildlife if they happen to ingest plastic and other trash?
 Overall, I don’t think polycarts would be the right choice for the country residents. I believe the overall impact on the county will not help the situation but rather increase the costs that are already in place. Many residents are very happy with the service we have already. I don’t see how changing things will make them better.