The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday April 18, 2008 - 5 Contractor apologizes for garbage pick-up delays By Melanie Hennessey SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER The contractor in charge of Halton's garbage pick-up has issued an apology to local residents for the delays that have been experienced so far in the new waste collection program. Miller Waste Systems started a contract with Halton Region last week that includes the new GreenCart program, weekly Blue Box collection and biweekly garbage collection with a sixbag limit. But the program got off to a rocky start, with some residents waiting several days after their scheduled collection day for a Miller truck to show up. Miller senior vice president Blair McArthur appeared before regional council Wednesday to apologize for the challenges that have been experienced so far and offer up some explanations. "There is a very compelling reason for the delays you have seen," he said. "The Region's marketing campaign (for the program) promised `More Blue and Green for a Better Planet' and we have definitely seen more blue and green than at any time in the history of our waste diversion experience. In our 47 years of business, we have never seen such unprecedented rates in the roll-out of a new waste management program or the volumes of material set out for collection." He said last week, Miller trucks col- lected roughly 2,000 tonnes of recycling and organics (compostable material) -- more than 50 per cent more than what was expected. There were also high volumes of leaf and yard waste, with more than 200 tonnes of the material being collected per day. That's about 20 per cent more than Miller had anticipated. "In many ways, this is a good news story," he said. "The delays have been inconvenient for residents but it's good news for the environment as a whole." He added it's been a learning curve for the large driving staff and the supervisors. He also said there's been some issues with the driver pool, noting on the first collection day last week five employees didn't show up and by the end of the week Miller lost an additional three or four staff members. "But that tells me we've got a core of pretty good guys who want to get the job done right," he said. To combat the delays, Miller has added extra trucks and manpower to the streets, extra supervisors and additional health and safety supervision. The company is also closely monitoring and benchmarking its performance. "With these measures in place, we believe that the service issues will diminish and the residents of Halton will receive the level of service they expect and deserve," he said. "We have enough equipment to get the material off the street." He noted there are about 60 to 63 trucks a day and 70 to 85 employees working on the Halton contract. Halton Commissioner of Planning and Public Works Peter Crockett echoed Miller's apology and said staff is working with the company to resolve the situation as quickly as pos- sible. Burlington Councillor Carol D'Amelio said while the program is good for the environ See GreenCart page 8 The Indian food Oakville has bee waiting for... Real Indian food served the real Indian way... TAKE OUT & DELIVERY MENU MEAL DEAL FOR 2 2 Veg Samosas g Butter Chicken Lamb Curry y Dal Makhani Basmati Rice 2 Naans Bachelor of Education in Adult Education Degree and Certificate Programs INFORMATION SESSIONS Monday, April 21 2-3 p.m. OR 5-6 p.m. In room A106 Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Trafalgar Campus, 1430 Trafalgar Road, Oakville The program is designed for those working or aspiring to work in adult learning environments including health care, human resources, business, social services, industry or formal academic settings. $39 95 ++ Dinner Only Pick Up Delivery $43.95 + + & delivery charge Cash Deal Home delivery ­ minimum order $ 35.00 net Delivery Zone ­ Please ask your order-taker for a delivery area For private room or outdoor catering, please call IZ 416 617 8487 Brock University offers BEd in Adult Education degree and certificate programs. Study part-time to enhance your understanding and application of adult education principles and practices. Courses are offered on Saturdays at Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning or online. Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2008 session. For application information for the BEd in Adult Education, visit our website at http://adult.ed.brocku.ca or call 905-688-5550, ext. 5547, or e-mail: adulted@brocku.ca. 218 Lakeshore Road East Oakville 905 815 5900 www.paintedelephant.ca ST. C AT H A R I N E S | O N TA R I O | C A N A DA | W W W. B R O C KU. C A