STATE BUDGET MAY NECESSITATE INCREASE IN
               REFUSE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION FEES 

The State Legislature recently passed a new state budget for the
2002/2003 fiscal year.  This new budget will directly influence the
amount you pay for refuse collection in West Bradford.  The
Commonwealth has decided to use a tax on landfill tipping fees
to balance its budget.  A $4.00 per ton charge on all refuse that is
deposited in a landfill has been instituted.  The idea behind the tax
on tipping fees is that 50 percent of the refuse that is deposited in
landfills in the Commonwealth comes from out of state and there
fore citizens of the Commonwealth would not pay most of the cost. 

This amounts to a 9.3 percent increase in landfill tipping fees.  These
tipping fees are the most significant portion of the costs to provide
refuse collection and recycling within our Township.  In addition to
the tax on tipping fees there are a number of factors that may
necessitate an increase in the fees that we charge for refuse
collection and recycling.   

1. First, our present contract with our waste hauler (BFI) is more
   expensive than our last contract.  The contract is placed for
   public bidding and they were the lowest bidder, but the costs
   of the contract will increase to $9.08 per unit per month next
   year. 

2. Second, the cost of disposal of the recycled material has gone
   up exponentially in the last several years.  In the past, we have depended on the sale of recycled material to offset the fee we
   would have paid to put the material in the landfill.  Now we are
   paying as much as $135.00 per ton to recycle plastic.  That is
   more than three times what it costs to put that material in the
   landfill. 

3. Third, with the current economic conditions we have been
    unable to produce any significant returns from the short-term
    investment of our Refuse Fund.  We are limited by law and
    our prudent fiscal approach to investments that are insured or
    otherwise protected and those types of investments do not
    typically have high yields.

 To put these cost developments into perspective it is important to
 know a little bit about the history of refuse collection and recycling
 within West Bradford Township.  The Township system was started
 in 1990.  Before then the lowest cost for private subscription for
 trash hauling without recycling was $14.50 per month.  Our present
 cost for refuse collection and recycling is $12.00 per month.   

When township collection started we provided: a waste container
or each home and its maintenance; recycling containers; and the
monthly pickup of one bulk item.  Since its inception we have added
all leaf pickup, additional curbside recycling of steel and bimetal
cans, brown and green glass, #1 and #2 plastics and certain paper
products like cereal boxes, magazines and other cardboard that is
similar to cereal boxes.  Our initial charge for this service to resi-
dents in 1990 was $12.00 per month - the same rate that is charged
today. 

We started our own refuse and recycling collection to provide 
curbside recycling, manage refuse costs to our residents, and pro-
vide a more efficient system in the township.  In 1989, one of our
citizens predicted that the costs of this would increase almost
immediately and continue to increase dramatically over the years.
  We are happy and proud to say that costs to residents have not
increased in 12 years while we have continued to add more
services.  We are not happy to say that the charge for refuse
collection and recycling may have to increase next year. 

During our budget process this fall, we will be looking at ways to
minimize any increase to our residents.  This may include trash
billing twice yearly instead of each quarter.  

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                                          DID YOU KNOW? 

How the Civil War veterans marched in the Marshallton Memorial
Day Parade during the early 1920’s?

                                                  ANSWER

Being in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, they were pushed in wheelbarrows
by the veterans of World War I.  

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                                 I HEARD SOMEONE SAY...

 (This article is a regular feature of our newsletter.  It gives insights
 into how municipalities work and answers some common
 questions that residents have about dealing with local
 government.)

 I heard someone say...that it’s more difficult to get a building
 permit in West Bradford Township than in other townships. 

West Bradford Township prides itself on the quality and safety of
construction that goes on in our township.  We have a strict policy of
being code compliant for every situation, no matter how large or
small. 

A detailed plan review is done with each application that includes a
site plan, building design, foundation plan, floor plan, cross section, elevations, electrical, heating and ventilation, drainage and vent
piping, and water distribution.  Each area has numerous sub-areas
for the inspector to review.   

Because of this strict code compliancy, there are fewer fires, less
severe weather damage, and fewer flooding problems caused by sub-standard construction.  When these incidents occur they are
less severe because of our high standards.  Property insurance
rates are generally lower in our Township than in similar townships. 

Our inspectors maintain a legal and moral obligation to the residents
of West Bradford Township and will follow it to the letter of the law
and code. 

The following are answers to some common questions that we
receive on why it takes time to build in our township.

         Why does it take so long to get a permit approved? 

On average, if all necessary information has been received with a
permit application, it takes about two weeks to get a permit appli-
cation approved.  During the heavy home improvement season
(summer) it can take up to three weeks.  The inspector first reviews
each permit application and determines if it is filled out completely
and correctly.  Then he begins to look at the plot plan to see if
everything will fit properly and follow all zoning regulations.  Then
he begins to look at the actual plans to see if all building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical codes are being followed and if proper
materials are being used.  If everything passes this review, then the
permit is approved and construction may begin, once the permit
has been picked up by the applicant.   

One house permit may take the inspector several hours to review.
Each permit gets 100 percent of the inspector's attention, whether
it's for a deck or for a $500,000 home.

    Why does the inspector seem so picky during inspections? 

The inspector is there for the homeowner.  He is making sure each
and every aspect of the construction follows all codes.  What may
seem small to a home owner or contractor may be the difference of
 a roof staying on in a strong storm, a fire not spreading from one
 level to another, a sewer line not leaking, or a deck not collapsing. 

          What does the inspector really do? 

     MORE SUMMER EVENTS AHEAD AT BROAD RUN PARK