The city of Columbus has brokered a deal with Rumpke for a subscription service to pick up yard waste. The program starts on April 20, 2009. The cost is $49.50, paid in advance, for the 6-month season from mid-April to mid-October.

This program is going to be a failure for the following reasons.

1. The cost of the program is too high
2. The service is limited to a few months
3. You can’t buy in, later in the season, you still have to pay full price

The city of Columbus previously offered yard waste pickup at no charge. Considering the 2% city income tax, it was hardly free of charge but it was still available. A cost of $8.25 per month is way too high for yard waste removal. Yard waste is not the same as trash. There will be weeks, where normal households will have no yard debris. I truly would like to know what my city is doing with my money. It certainly isn’t going to our police and firefighters.

Many communities have colored bags that cover the use of the service. You purchase as many bags as you need, end of story. This would be a much better solution if residents are going to be responsible for this cost. I am confident that many of my neighbors will pile debris in common land areas around my neighborhood. They already are doing this with their trash so, I have no reason to believe that they will behave any differently in this case.

Even when the service was free, Rumpke constantly refused to pick up our yard waste, because of the bundles being too long, or they just plain didn’t feel like coming on a given week. The service limits 15 bags or containers per week. My advice is to pool with your neighbors and buy one contract and everyone put the yard waste in their yard each week.

I am still expecting the city to tell me that they are going to stop picking up our trash as well. That will be a public service disaster. I can guarantee that people wont pay for the service. They will find apartment dumpsters, their neighbors yard, parks or some other place to dispose of their waste. My city is becoming a joke and Mayor Coleman is totally responsible for our current condition.

For those of you who would like other options for yard waste, the city has defined areas that yard waste can be dropped off free of charge. So if you are lucky enough to live close to one of these locations, you can just throw all your leaves in the back seat of your car and be on your way.

Here is my Google Map of the current drop off locations.

Parades:

• The Shamrock Club of Columbus hosts the St. Patrick’s Day parade and it is always held on the 17th. This year the parade is down town Columbus.
  

  “The Parade will form at Nationwide Blvd. and John H. McConnell Blvd. between 10:30am and 11:30am. There will be a shuttle bus running from Vet’s Memorial to the Parade staging area from 9:15am until 10:15am. The cost of this service is $1 per person plus a parade badge. The Parade will step off at 11:45am and proceed East on Nationwide Blvd.”

• The city of Dublin parade.
  

  “The annual City of Dublin St. Patrick’s Day parade promises plenty of “Irish Attitude”. Featuring 100 units ranging from fantastic floats to bands and balloons, the St. Patrick’s Day parade will bring Irish at every angle.

  The parade will take place on Saturday, March 14 at 11 a.m. The parade route will start at the Metro Center Plaza and end in Historic Dublin.”

Resturant and Pub Activities

• Fado Irish Pub is hosting several events over the weekend.
  • St. Baldrick’s  Charity Event
  • Cornhole tournament
  • Irish American Pub Quiz
  • Kegs n Eggs
• The Brazenhead Irish Pub
  • Door prizes at both locations all day on the 17th
  • Irish Dancers at both locations all day on the 17th
• Claddagh Irish Pub
  • Irish Sing-a-Long with Paddy on the 14th at the Polaris Location
• Brynes Pub
  • Well frankly, we don’t know what else they have besides, beer and music. But isn’t that enough? It’s Byrnes for Pete’s sake.

Other

• Dublin Blarney Hop
  • “Free wee folk activities including crafts, games, prizes and balloon art will be found throughout the event area. Access to a variety of inflatables (weather permitting) will require a $5 per child wristband, a portion of which will benefit The American Cancer Society. Irish dancers, live music and a DJ will keep everybody hopping throughout the afternoon.”