Dear editor,

The Comox Valley Regional District is once again trying to force a garbage contract on its residents.

READ: Roadside waste collection proposed in rural areas of Comox Valley

We voted overwhelmingly no to a contract several years ago but regional district staff are set in their ways to force the issue.

One of the problems is they purposefully underestimated costs telling us it would only cost $100 per household per year. That number was quoted last fall to get suckers, er, residents of the regional district on board with their little scheme.

After observing a Zoom info session on said contract, staff admitted their additional rate of $100 per year was wrong and now the magic number is already up to $250 per year.

I currently pay $110 every three months for bi-weekly garbage service. Now you add recycling pick up as well and there is no way a garbage company would do that for $250 per year. The contractor would need a minimum of four trucks to provide said service and at 300k per truck plus fuel, maintenance, insurance and employee wages, this service would cost at least $500 per household per year minimum.

Another problem is that in outlying areas, wildlife becomes a big problem with garbage sitting around for two weeks. Water meters were forced on us by the regional district staff and a former Comox mayor making up false numbers about our water usage - they said we used 10 times the water we actually do.

I urge all residents of the Comox Valley Regional District to vote no on this contract. You have to vote no via an alternate approval process, which regional district staff are trying not to advertise.

Joe Dingman,

Comox