1. Columbia residents hold mixed views on the best decision for the future of
solid waste and recycling
By Kaitlin Zurkammer
At a city forum on the future of residential trash and recycling pick-up for
Ward 1 held at city hall at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, residents displayed split
opinions about the issue. The pay-as-you-throw system, the proposal discussed at
the forum, has been considered as an option for Columbia in the past but has been a
hard concept for many solid-waste consumers to accept.
With a full conference room of residents in attendance, the forum began with
a greeting from City Manager Mike Matthes, who emphasized that the meeting was
not a campaign meeting but rather an educational one.
John Glascock, the director of public works, followed by giving the city-side
proposal. He stressed that the city wants the residents to be able to choose the best
option, whether it’s roll carts, black bags or some other method.
Glascock said the high worker-turnover rate for solid waste, which sits at 68
percent, seems to be one of the biggest issues for the city of Columbia. He put four
new positions in the budget last year that the city is still trying to fill. He proposed
automated trash pick-up as a solution to this problem. Fulton, which recently
switched over to an automated system, didn’t pay out a single claim this year.
“We’re not trying to change your life, we’re just trying to make it better for
you, better for the community, better for the environment,” Glascock said.
Mary Sapp, an affiliate for the Solid Waste Advocacy Group of Columbia, also
known as SWAG, discussed how roll carts would only increase the likelihood of

2. injuries to Columbia residents because senior citizens, handicap residents and those
who have steep driveways would struggle with the carts. Sapp also referenced the
topic of unfair charges for roll carts.
“Nothing addresses the variance from week to week in residences’ trash,”
Sapp said. “You pay for the cart, whether you fill it every week or not.”
On the topic of high employee-turnover rates, Sapp expressed how SWAG
believes that better employment packages and higher wages would encourage
people to stay longer.
Next, Barbara Buffaloe, the city sustainability manager, discussed her
concern with the city diversion rate, which is the measurement of materials that the
community throws away does not go to the landfill. Columbia has had the same
diversion rate of 17 percent for the past 10 years, which is less than one-half of the
national average of 34.5 percent. She said a pay-as-you-throw system with roll carts
would encourage people to recycle more and throw away less.
Sapp discussed her opinion of the recycling issue after Buffaloe. She said that
the residents who would be affected the most by roll carts are already doing more
recycling than most.
“Recycling in residential areas is working,” Sapp said. “A more vigorous
recycling program needs to be developed by the city for other sectors.”
Sapp said that a major contributor to filling the landfill is all the trash
accepted from other entities outside the city limits, for which the city charges a
tipping fee.

3. “Our landfill will expand regardless of any Columbia resident residential
trash pick-up change,” Sapp said. “Roll carts in Columbia are not going to solve this
problem.”
“Columbia is a pretty city--roll carts will change that,” Sapp said. “If you have
ever watched those automated trucks on a windy day when the trucks are lifted and
dumped, light-weight items are caught by the wind and blown out.”
After both sides gave their proposals, the floor was left open for question and
answers. During this time, the attendees often spoke out of turn. The night ended
with an informal vote on whether or not roll carts would be a good idea for the
community. About half of the attendees raised their hands for each side.

4. J2100 Source Sheet
Story slug: Future of Residential Trash and Recycling Pick-up-Ward 1 Forum
Assignment type: community issue
Reporter: Kaitlin Zurkammer
Source 1
Name: Mike Matthes
Title: Columbia City Manager
Date: 2/25/15
Used as: background
Work phone: 573-874-7214
Place of employment: City of Columbia
Email: cmo@GoColumbiaMo.com
Address: 701 E. Broadway, P.O. Box 6015, Columbia, MO 65205
Source 2
Name: John Glascock
Title: Columbia Director of Public Works
Date: 2/25/15
Used as: background and quote
Place of employment: City of Columbia
Source 3
Name: Barbara Buffaloe
Title: Columbia City Sustainability Manager
Date: 2/25/15
Used as: background
Place of employment: City of Columbia
Email: BaBuffal@gocolumbiamo.com
Source 4
Name: Mary Sapp
Title: affiliate for the Solid Waste Advocacy Group of Columbia
Date: 2/25/15
Used as: background and quote
Additional Sources
Website name/article title: Columbia Daily Tribune/ Columbia Officials still want
to consider changes to trash service
Link: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/columbia-officials-still-
want-to-consider-changes-to-trash-service/article_87dc415a-5200-52ff-8909-
469c247a5ee6.html