Fort Wayne Observed gave its readers the first photographic glimpse of the City of Fort Wayne's new solar powered trash compactors downtown. The compactors are dubbed "Big Bellies" by their manufacturer, Seahorse Power Company.
Kevin Leininger's column in today's News-Sentinel asks various officials whether the $3,700 trash cans make sense. The short version is that Councilman Don Schmidt doesn't think so. Surprisingly, another city official who doesn't think so is Parks Director Al Moll who had served as a Deputy Mayor under Mayor Graham Richard.
Mr. Leininger reports:
“My guess is it won’t make economic sense,” said Parks Director Al Moll, whose employees must regularly empty about 150 trash receptacles...
Mr. Leininger quoted Council member Schmidt:
“This certainly won’t help the city’s image,” he said. “It’s like paying $600 for a hammer.”
Mr. Leininger noted that he observed a dowtown "Big Belly" for 45 minutes on a recent day and that no one used the receptacle during that time.
St. Petersburg, Florida, is among other cities evaluating the solar polared trashcans.
More: A news report from Massachusettes concerning a solar powered trash compactor located in a park which was damaged when vandals set fire to American flags.
"Green" is always expensive and often unnecessary. I think that I read that the city has purchased some hybrid vehicles, which certainly are not economical with presently high sticker costs.
Then again we are talking about imposing upon the taxpayers, so who among the city's elite would care?
Posted by: Bob Stackhouse | July 28, 2007 at 02:01 PM
Please tell me these are demonstrator models and that we did not spend tax or other money on these silly things.
Don Schmidt, you nailed it.
Posted by: Ken Schenk | July 28, 2007 at 02:11 PM
Why does the city insist on wasting our money in new innovative ways?
Posted by: Hugh Johnson | July 28, 2007 at 06:21 PM
A brand new library, a brand new baseball complex plus other buildings, a proposed $500+ million renovation of schools, and now a $3,700 dollar trash can. What's next?
Shows just how responsible our leaders are.
It is much easier to spend money on wasteful things when that money is not yours.
Posted by: Cory Craig | July 28, 2007 at 10:44 PM