Our View: St. Charles can't afford cleanup program
Costs have to be cut somewhere in this economy.
And while we're sad to see it go, we think the city of St. Charles' decision to eliminate its spring cleanup program – at a reported savings of $120,000 – was the right one.
It's a wonderful idea that has been embraced by many communities through the Chicago suburbs – help people with their spring cleaning by giving them a day in which they can get rid of big items for free.
However, it just doesn't make economic sense to keep the program running at this point. The program was a privilege for St. Charles residents; it certainly was not a right.
And people still can get rid of big items – it's just going to cost a little.
But the cost to dispose of a big piece in St. Charles isn't that much – $2.47 for a refuse sticker – and maybe some of the items that would have been trashed in the past might be re-used or recycled instead now.
We also were glad to see that the city council noted that the program could be reinstated at a better economic time. We'd love to see it come back. But when the time is right.
If you have any questions about the program or getting rid of big items, we encourage you to call the Public Works Department at 630-377-4405 or visit the city's Web site at www.stcharlesil.gov.
Comments
