I am in receipt of your letter of March 20, 2023.
First, I find it disturbing that the City would send a letter to a resident which, among other things, threatens a fine for an unproven offense without providing the recipient with any information regarding how to respond to that letter - no email, no phone number. Fortunately the Mayor was kind enough to provide me with your contact details.
Second, you assert that “our records show that your residence is not participating in a curbside compost collection program”. Please provide me with a copy of said records. I contract directly with Recology for my refuse collection service not with the City. Has the City obtained access to my Recology account and, if so, on what legal basis was that access obtained?
Third, I do not place compostable materials in either my blue or black bins.
Fourth, our household produces very little such material.We live in a vibrant and cooperative townhouse community in which neighbors willingly share resources and services. When our household does produce compostable material which cannot be otherwise properly disposed of we have the consent of our neighbors to place that material in their green bin.
Fifth, our townhome is part of Park Forest HOA II which has a common area that generates significant compostable material and which has its own green bins.
Sixth, SB 1383 does not require that I have green bin in my personal possession but simply that I dispose of my compostable material in an appropriate fashion.
Therefore, I have no intention of, as your letter demands, contacting Recology to obtain a green bin.
Should this same letter have been sent to other residents without first giving each of them the opportunity to explain how they properly dispose of their compostable material without having a personal green bin then the City owes them an apology and you should hope that none of them sue the City for falsely alleging that they are breaking the law and threatening them with fines.
Peter Carpenter
