New garbage ordinance spurs public tumult

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ignited by passage of Gwinnett County's latest solid waste ordinance Tuesday, residents gave the board of commissioners an earful.

At the same time, a citizens' group announced it is mounting another recall campaign against Commission Chairman Charles Bannister.

The new ordinance, set to go into effect July 1, requires the county's 180,000 households in unincorporated areas to sign up for trash service. All homes licensed for occupancy will receive bills on their property tax statements. The law also divides the county into five collection zones, each with one hauler.

"Are you going to start deciding what cable company I have, what phone service I use?" asked Kathey Hildebrand of Snellville.

Lawrenceville resident Charles Grizzle, representing the local chapter of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, accused the commission of stacking the deck against competition. He said the county orchestrated a closed system and robbed citizens of the right to choose their own hauler.

"You've overwhelmingly trod on the wishes of your constituents," he said.

The ordinance does not specify how haulers will be selected.

County Administrator Glenn Stephens said he could not elaborate on any selection process because of pending litigation. Gwinnett County is trying to settle lawsuits totaling more than $80 million with five haulers over a similar ordinance passed in 2008.

A sixth hauler, Waste Industries, filed suit in federal court in December asking that the county not formulate an ordinance as a way of settling pending litigation with the five haulers.

Don Collins, government contract manager for Waste Industries, told commissioners Tuesday his company originally took it on faith the county would follow the court's order and draw up a new plan in a public, above-board manner.

"Even as our federal lawsuit continues," he said, "your vote today confirms our position before the court that the county's illegal trash plan is marching forward."

Randolph DeVault and Peter Hendrickson of Dacula informed commissioners they were refiling to recall Bannister. DeVault, who mounted a similar drive in December after the county passed a controversial tax increase, said he has set up a website (gwntrecall.com) and has more than 100 volunteers willing to help gather the 126,000 signatures needed.

County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau, one of the biggest proponents of implementing a county-wide plan, said there were more than a dozen public meetings held to gauge public sentiment. The overwhelming majority, he said, favored a unified plan.