Jefferson County’s cities express support for proposed waste management bill

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JEFFERSONTOWN, KY – (MARCH 1, 2016) – Recently, Rep. Steve Riggs and Rep. Jerry
Miller filed a bipartisan bill to clarify waste management responsibilities in Jefferson County,
and to broaden participation on the Board of the Waste Management District. The Jefferson
County League of Cities strongly supports this effort.

Bill Dieruf, Mayor of Jeffersontown and President of JCLC, feels the bill will provide the means
for the suburban cities to maintain their environmental leadership in waste management with
both innovation and stability. “Suburban cities have been at the forefront of recycling for years.
Today, Jeffersontown and many other cities regularly see more than 60% participation in recycling. Here in Jeffersontown, we utilizes a 60 gallon, covered can on wheels, not little tubs
for our recycling. We do everything we can to help our residents reach the goals they set—to
reuse, recycle and repurpose.”

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This bill will also provide suburban cities with the predictability and stability they need to provide waste management services at the high levels of performance their citizens expect. “Our citizens demand clean neighborhoods, and they know where their elected officials live. If the garbage isn’t being handled properly, the Mayor gets a knock on the door. At the same time, waste management is a very significant expenditure for us, so we work closely with our
contractors to assure they perform to our expectations. In the suburban cities, there is no bureaucracy when it comes to waste management. It’s truly boots on the ground,” said Mayor
Dieruf.
One other aspect of the bill is to expand the current Waste Management District Board to include
various stakeholders and expand citizen participation. It is Mayor Dieruf’s belief that “The
diversity of the Louisville area is one of its greatest assets. How we bring waste management
innovation to our greater community will require broad participation, both in terms of policy
making and implementation. We need a broad range of voices, ideas and perspectives if we are
to responsibly enhance our environmental performance. Good policy grows from good dialogue,
and the expansion of the board will assist that.”