Chester didn't get the memo on trash collection

My neighbor didn't get the memo. Their trash can 
is still hoping for that Friday pick up

If folks would simply submit comments to this blog, all this trash talking would have been resolved months ago.

The Chester/Community Spirit’s big story of the week concerns the once a week trash collection debacle here in Chester. How can trash collection be so complicated?

Here’s how.

1. City government choose to save some money by budgeting for once a week trash collection without telling folks first. Once the word got out after budget approval, folks got upset.
2. City government listened to the people and put out bids for a second day trash collection. The bids were too expensive and the city will stick to once a week trash collection.

My Question.

Did the city attempt to issue a change order to the original contract? If not, why not? If so, what did the original contractor propose? I don't understand why a second bid was necessary for the second day. The original contractor would normally honor a change at a price less than a new bid...at least that's been my experience. And can't bids have a 'do not exceed' price on them? Why put a company through all the work of bidding if you already have a budget amount you won't exceed?

My Issues.

1. Communication. Ever since I started the Chester Spotlight paper in 2006 and the blog in 2010, the City has never submitted the city’s trash collection schedule posting for me to share with my readers. I know they pay to display in the Daily Times and Chester Spirit (I don’t charge for that stuff). You’d think they’d try to reach out to everyone in the community using every method possible, especially if it’s free. And when folks say they didn’t know about it, you can say that it was in the Daily Times and the Chester Blog (and Facebook, and the City Web Site, and Channel 10 for those who have Comcast). Stop playing victim and put the onus back on the community. 
2. Recycling. I’ve been asking questions about recycling since the beginning and I never got an answer for the paper or the blog from the city. Council Lady West states that, “Our residents can help us keep our streets clear by becoming educated in recycling practices,” but I never see any education efforts.
3. Act 47. Although Act 47 has been around since 2006, most of us never heard the term except when it came to hiring police officers. Now, I’m beginning to expect to hear and read this statement regularly: “We are adhering to the city’s budget and guidelines of its Act-47 classification.” The more it’s used, the more of a excuse it becomes. 
4. Social Media. Chester loves Facebook. With all the Chester focused Facebook pages, including those run by the city, there is no excuse for nearly everyone in Chester being clear on the trash policies. And it’s free.
5. Submit a comment. Those of you who read the blog do each other a disservice when you don’t submit comments, suggestions, opinions, and corrections. The format is made for instant feedback. But, most of you read the posts like it’s a newspaper. That’s a waste of the main purpose of blogs which is to engage. We don’t do that well around here. 

Here are some previous blog post regarding recycling and trash collection. There are some good comments but no solutions. We’ve got to do better with the comments.

PART 1  Does Chester Recycle. May 27, 2010

PART 2 Does Chester Recycle. June 14, 2010

PART 3 Does Chester Recycle.  December 1, 2012

Chester Goes to Once a Week Trash November 30, 2012

Chester goes Back to Once a Week Notice  May 24, 2013
http://ccityblogger.blogspot.com/2013/05/is-it-trash-day-in-chester.html