When can T.A.R.E. be euthanized?

[Friendly Bear]

Now finally, 20+ years after its creation as a Public Authority to "manage" the debt associated with the Walter Hall Trash-to-Energy White Elephant money-pit, the plant is shut-down by its new owner after Covanta went bankrupt.

In the process, $200 million in Tulsa city rate payer dollars were burned up, paying for building a plant that the citizens of Tulsa did not ACTUALLY own, and servicing the enormous debt for the past 20 years.  

Now, that debt is finally paid off and the plant shuttered, we find there is $12 million in overcollected trash fees that TARE is sitting on, and the Plant is moth-balled by its owner, probably forever.

Yet, the TARE still plows ahead with a seemingly perpetual life of its own, resembling the Energizer Bunny in its longevity, but lacking the Sincerity of Purpose of a cutesy toy funny bunny.

Our insightful Tulsa City Councilor Roscoe Turner has figured out that TARE has outlived its usefulness, and is again asking questions that the local ruling Power Oligarchy would prefer were not to be ever asked, nor answered.

Questions like:  Why is TARE still in existence?

See today's www.TulsaWorld.com for the details.

[RecycleMichael]

Here is the Tulsa World story...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectID=11&articleID=071101_1_A13_spanc85858

Councilor says trash trust not necessary

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
11/1/2007

City Councilor Roscoe Turner said the city no longer needs a public trust to oversee its trash service since the trash-to-energy plant has closed. That trust, the Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy (TARE), was established by state statute in the mid-1980s to finance the plant. Although the city is its beneficiary, it operates outside of the control of the mayor and City Council. Two TARE board members said they aren't sure whether the board should remain as a public trust, but they agreed it should exist in some form.

Turner said he is just trying to figure out what continuing duties the TARE board has that would require it to be a public trust. "I don't think you're planning on any indebtedness," he said during a council committee meeting Tuesday. "I was told (TARE members) are now trying to find something else to do. They're just basically sitting there trying to figure out how to spend money," Turner said.

TARE does have a fund balance of $12 million, which is being used to subsidize trash rates to keep the rates as low as possible, the council was told. The surplus resulted from the city collecting trash rates that exceeded the amount needed to pay off the bond debt for the burn plant, TARE member Steve Berlin told councilors.

Councilor Bill Martinson said the issue with the public trust is that the "rates weren't adjusted and TARE built up a huge fund balance in a relatively short period of time and the council wasn't aware of that." "I think we all appreciate the service that TARE provides for us. I think it is the funding side of it that gives everyone concerns," Martinson said.

The $12 million, which includes a $3 million reserve, should be depleted by 2012, if the trash rates are not increased before then, said TARE Chairman Joe Moran. Moran told Turner that although the trust's main responsibility had been oversight of the burn plant, it continues to oversee collection, removal, transportation and disposal of the city's trash.

Assistant City Attorney Bob Edmiston said dismantling the trust could be problematic until at least 2018, when TARE's contract expires with Waste Management, which owns Quarry Landfill where the city disposes of its trash. The trust has another contract until 2012 with Tulsa Refuse Inc., a group of trash haulers. The trust also is in the midst of a pilot program to determine the best method to collect trash and recyclables.

Turner said that the city staff does all the work for the trust anyway and that prior to the creation of TARE, the city oversaw the city's waste program. Berlin said the TARE board has the ability to focus on the long-term picture, whereas city officials and employees look at "shorter-term, implementation stuff." Berlin said the council could change the city ordinance that gives the trust the sole responsibility for the city's residential trash collection and disposal. The question for the council, Berlin said, is if the council wants TARE to continue to pursue the objectives it has defined for itself.

He said one of those objectives is to have the same level of service and rate structure for all residential trash customers in the city. Currently, there are 25,000 customers with once-a-week pickup, and 91,000 customers with twice-a-week pickup, he said. "If these are not objectives that the city wants us to look at, we're all volunteers and there are other things we could be doing with our time," Berlin said. "If you want us to continue looking at them, whether were are a Title 60 trust or an advisory commission or whatever the structure is, we serve, in my opinion, a valuable service to this city," he said.

Moran said he isn't sure whether the board needs to be a public trust since there is no need for indebtedness. "The only thing is that if the burn plant came available, we might want to consider purchasing that," he said.

[RecycleMichael]

I thought the story was fair and the TARE board members did a good job answering the councilor's concerns.

They didn't fight to defend turf and even agreed that they could function if they were no longer a trust authority.

Some group needs to oversee the $25 million dollars spent on trash collection and disposal, whether it is the TARE board or the utility authority.

The current makeup of the board has done a good job focusing on the big picture of providing the best trash and recycling service available.

[Rico]

While we are on the subject of trash.. The North Tulsa landfill has been closed by a court order.

Where is the trash that was going there... going now.?

[RecycleMichael]

Most of the trash is going to the Quarry Landfill on 46th street north or to the American Environnmental Landfill west of town.

They have plenty of capacity, in fact, they permitted much more than usual in order to help make the argument that Tulsa didn't need the burn plant.

I do business with both and they are completely in compliance.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I thought the story was fair and the TARE board members did a good job answering the councilor's concerns.

They didn't fight to defend turf and even agreed that they could function if they were no longer a trust authority.

Some group needs to oversee the $25 million dollars spent on trash collection and disposal, whether it is the TARE board or the utility authority.

The current makeup of the board has done a good job focusing on the big picture of providing the best trash and recycling service available.

TARE needs to be euthanized.  

One LESS Goobermint office.

Let's Declare Independence, as our did our patriotic forefathers in 1776:

He (King George I, Queen Susan the Silly, King William the Failure, and Queen Kathy the Homewrecker) has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

Yep, TARE ate up at least $200 million from city of Tulsa ratepayers substance from a totally bogus premise:

Tulsa was running out of "certified" land fill, according to the promoters of the Trash-to-Energy White Elephant, Ogden-Martin.

Time to Bag the White Elephant.

Stick a fork in TARE.  It's done.

[]

[RecycleMichael]

I know bears are attracted to trash...

There is a lot going on with trash and recycling these days. There was a story about a local landfill being forced to close yesterday, a story today about a councilor questioning the need for the trash board to exist, we are promoting litter cleanups this weekend (I just did an interview with FOX), and neighborhoods are finishing a pilot program offering once-a-week-trash and once-a-week recycling.

The trash plant closed four months ago today, businesses saw dramatic reductions in rates and even residential rates have gone down (name another city bill that were lowered in your lifetime?).

There is a lot of positive things happening in the refuse and recycling areas now that we don't have to pay ten million dollars a year in debt payments for the burn plant. It is also good that Mayor Taylor is taking this issue on. I have worked for the last five Mayors and most of them were pretty green, but she really wants to do good environmental stuff.

Look for more stories coming soon...

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I know bears are attracted to trash...

There is a lot going on with trash and recycling these days. There was a story about a local landfill being forced to close yesterday, a story today about a councilor questioning the need for the trash board to exist, we are promoting litter cleanups this weekend (I just did an interview with FOX), and neighborhoods are finishing a pilot program offering once-a-week-trash and once-a-week recycling.

The trash plant closed four months ago today, businesses saw dramatic reductions in rates and even residential rates have gone down (name another city bill that were lowered in your lifetime?).

There is a lot of positive things happening in the refuse and recycling areas now that we don't have to pay ten million dollars a year in debt payments for the burn plant. It is also good that Mayor Taylor is taking this issue on. I have worked for the last five Mayors and most of them were pretty green, but she really wants to do good environmental stuff.

Look for more stories coming soon...

FB much prefers Honey to Trash.  Trash leaves the ripe aftertaste of Bear's Breath.

FB loves Honey, and the occasional TulsaNow tourist.

Send more tourists; the last one was DELICIOUS!

Tasted just like Kentucky-Fried Chicken Little, cluster-bombed and napalmed to Well-Done by eagle-eyed old Oil Capital back during the Kaiser River Tax Campaign.

Extra Crispy!  

I like my chicken Finger-Lickin' Good.

Getting that old Fried Chicken feeling again.  Going out for some comfort food.

Teh-Heh.

[]

[shadows]

TARE like all the Public Trust and Authorities were created only to circumvent the republic form of democracy that we are trying to enforce on other entities.  As a nation, claiming we are a group of united states, each with its own rules and laws we are allowing the demise of the democratic system even at the grass roots level.
The voters now have gave up hope which is shown by the numbers voting.  In English, that most understand, they just don't give a damn as they have little voice in the rules they are subjected too.

We will continue to exercise this conversion until we join the other's who occupy the valley of the graves of those governments  who allowed this to happen before us.