2009-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

1. I feel Greensboro needs to re-negotiate it's contact with the Wilbur Ross group currently occupying a portion of the old Cone Mills facility and address potential options of methane gas usage from Greensboro's White St. landfill. The current contract between Greensboro and Mr. Ross and his group leaves no option for the city to utilize the excess methane gas as an incentive to entice other companies with an alternative fuel source. Currently his Greensboro facility uses only 45% of the available methane gas forcing Greensboro to burn off the remaining 55% his company does not use. This methane gas coming from our landfill should become a profit center for our city and not burned off. I ask the question, can the excess methane gas be used to fuel city schools? We are a community, city and county officials must work even harder assisting small business owners and encourage new business to locate here.

2. City Transportation: It was once stated by a famous statistician Dr. Deming, "you make decisions based on statistical data and not on a hunch or feelings". If data indicates a higher demand (more citizens riding the bus) from one sector of the city an increase in frequency of bus routes and service must be be made. In making this adjustment a less active bus route would in turn be reduced to compensate for the more active route. Remember the city must "Stay within it's Budget".

City Taxes & Landfill Cost

2009-08-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

In reviewing the top 10 cities in North Carolina by population, Greensboro has the highest tax
rate in the state (data supplied by the City of Greensboro web site). The next scheduled
County tax revaluation is scheduled for 2012 (city tax rate is based on the county tax
revaluation schedule). WE NEED TO GET OUR CITY TAX RATE IN LINE WITH OTHER CITIES WITH CLOSE PROXIMITY IN POPULATION.

1. Greensboro currently has a contract with Republic Services and in FY 2008-2009, 231,426.77 tons of municipal solid waste and construction / demolition materials were disposed at the Republic Service facility located in Montgomery County and their backup in Person County. The total annual cost to the citizens of Greensboro is over $9,000,000 annually which includes $5,453,214.96 in transportation costs and $4,000,000 to process Greensboro's household waste. I propose we utilize the White Street landfill that has approximately 2.0 million cubic yards of permitted capacity remaining. This does not include the March 2008 permit modification submitted to the regulatory office that would modify the side slopes and increase the disposal volume by approximately 1.0 million cubic yards. To date, the permit request has not been approved. Using the White Street landfill and discontinue sending waste to Montgomery County would save Greensboro citizens millions of dollars a year. This amount does not include the benefits of the methane gas produced as an alternative energy source and potential profit center for Greensboro. Currently the methane gas is being given to the Wilbur Ross Group at no cost.

Previous landfills in Charlotte and Wilmington are now sites for athletic fields and parks. In a town outside of Chicago the methane gas from the landfill is used to supply energy to city schools.

If no modifications were made the current landfill could absorb all of Greensboro's waste for the next 4 years, with a $36,000,000 (+) saving to the citizens of Greensboro. This one effort would be a great start in helping to reduce our city tax rate.

2. Aggressively support small businesses as well as help to generate opportunities within the city to assist growth and prosperity.

3. City Council must be educated / enlightened in the interaction between Gateway Research University, UNCG and A&T University. This will assist the city's recruiting efforts for expanding these new businesses and generating long term job growth for the city of Greensboro.

4. Greensboro has 6 colleges (more students than Chapel Hill) and these young women and men must be presented with opportunities to continue living in Greensboro after graduation working within the community. This will assist local corportations in their growth efforts and develop new businesses.

The Good Steward

City Taxes & Landfill Cost