Yes on Override: Letter

The recent debate over the proposed Proposition 2 1/2 tax override for the City of Melrose has focused predominantly on the impacts of a “yes” or a “no” vote on our schools. That’s as it should be: Educating our young people and teaching them to be good, productive, and aware citizens is to the benefit of all—and it’s what we owe them. It’s unquestionably a top priority.

There are other potential impacts of a “no” vote, however. As citizens who are very supportive of the city’s efforts to improve recycling rates and manage our waste in an environmentally sound manner, we the undersigned are very concerned about the potential impacts on the level of service provided by the Melrose Department of Public Works (DPW).

Our DPW has worked with energy and insight to implement a robust curbside recycling program. In addition to adopting curbside pickup many years ago, DPW has more recently moved to weekly rather than biweekly collection of recyclables, a change that has been hugely popular with residents. On top of the curbside services, DPW has for many years conducted special recycling events at the Tremont Street Yard on several Saturdays during the year, offering an array of services such as paper shredding and the collection of computers and other electronics, tires, Styrofoam, motor oil/gasoline/antifreeze, rigid plastics, and household hazardous waste. In addition, DPW and the Melrose Recycling Committee have jointly conducted Swap Day, when citizens can bring items they no longer need in their households down to the Memorial Hall parking lot and leave them for others to pick up and reuse. This event has also been very popular, and the hope and plan is to conduct two Swap Days in 2019. Other efforts to provide new, convenient ways to properly manage hard-to-recycle items are reportedly in the works.

It’s important to note that the diversion of these materials from the waste stream means less waste going to the incinerator and—since we pay by the ton for waste disposal—reduced cost to the city.

Our concern is that if the override fails to pass, some or all of these services will be at risk. With the strain on city department budgets, Melrose could even be taking several steps back.

Already, as Mayor Infurna has disclosed, there is a proposal to eliminate Saturday collection events. As a result, large volumes of Styrofoam and rigid plastics would go back into the waste stream, and residents would lose the convenience of Saturday drop-off of computers and other hard-to-recycle items. Moreover, the recycling coordinator position has been proposed for elimination—a position from which the most recent incumbents significantly expanded the city’s recycling program.

We fear that other services not mentioned by the mayor could also be at risk. For example, if curbside collection of recyclables were to return to a bi-weekly schedule, that would mean disruption in households, as recyclable materials pile up.

We ask the residents of Melrose to think hard before they vote this April—about what it takes to maintain the standard of living and level of convenience we are used to, and that has made Melrose a very attractive place to live.

Sincerely,

George Stubbs, Jim Wilson, Dana Webber, Jeana McNeil, Laura Ettenberg, Nikki Blades, Sunil Sainis, Katharyn Hok, Ellen Cunniffe, Janet Aucello, Lisa Montuori Trimble, Jill Geisler, Trudy MacDonald, Rebecca Interbartolo, Bruce Herrmann, Erin Hoffer, Michelle Desveaux, Robin Snyder-Drummond, Lori Timmermann, Lisa Capone-Condon, Alanna Nelson, Jeff Doody, Heather Vogel, June Cuttino, Maureen Buzby, Charlie Harak, Kim Kerrigan, Clark Kerry, Janice Meckstroth, Doug Harriott