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I know some of you were interested in the status of the Carry-In/Carry-Out Policy (removing our trash barrels from Sligo Creek Park). This is a write-up I prepared for Friends of Sligo Creek. Thought some of you might also be interested in this up-date so I'm passing this along to our neighborhood List Serve.
Ed
On December 8th, 2003 Mr. Berlage (Chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board) updated the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee (includes County Council members Silverman, Floreen, Praisner) on changes to the Carry-in/Carry-out policy. It appears that Council member Leventhal requested that in addition to updating the program changes, Park and Planning (P&P) address the actual cost savings.

According to Mr. Berlage, the pilot Carry-In/Carry-Out program was generally successful. The only exception was in Sligo Creek Park (between University Blvd. and Takoma Park)where there were significant problems. (This was of course no surprise to the users of Sligo Creek Park). According to Mr. Berlage, in Sligo Creek Park there were higher cost associated with trash removal during the pilot than before the pilot. The actual "cost savings" are not known. On January 12th P&P will submit an Evaluation Plan that will address cost savings during the pilot program. According to P&P, the removal of the trash barrels will begin immediately and will take about a month to complete. In addition to the trash barrels, the new trash bag dispensers in the pilot sites will also be removed (according to P&P these were a failure). According to the P&P, there were 78 complaints about the policy being implemented in Sligo Creek Park. According to Mr. Berlage, half these complaints were about ! the impending implementation of this plan in areas where it had not yet started. Interestingly, he thought this was a good sign because it meant that the word is getting out about the new Carry-In/Carry-Out policy.

P&P was confident that once everyone got used to the policy, the number of complaints and the cost associated with addressing the complaints would drop. The Council Members asked about enforcement of this policy. They suggested a drastic increase in Park Police presences and enforcement. They also suggested that if users leave trash in an area for which a permit is required, the permit deposit be used for clean up. P&P was concerned about administering this proposal.

Council member Silverman suggested that municipalities, Civic Associations and Citizen Groups be approached about the possibility of taking over trash removal or "adopting" trash barrels. It was the consensus of the other members that this was only a viable option for municipalities. Civic Associations and other citizen organizations would not have the organization or the experience to manage a trash management operation. A memo of understanding would need to be signed. If the municipality were unable to maintain the trash barrels in the parks, the barrels would be removed. Silverman closed the meeting with the suggestion that Friends of Sligo Creek and Takoma Park be approached about taking over trash removal in Sligo Creek Park.

Prepared by Ed Murtagh

Background Information:

About PHED (Planning, Housing, and Economic Development) - Jurisdiction: Master Plans and amendments to the zoning laws; issues related to parks and recreation, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and the Montgomery County Planning Board; historic preservation; economic development, housing, and agricultural preservation.

Members: Steven Silverman, Chair; Marilyn J. Praisner; Nancy Floreen.