By WANDA A. DENDINGER, LAPLACE

DEAR EDITOR: How can it be that the trash is not picked up on an entire street and only one person notices it? Maybe I’m the only one who gets charged $13.16 a month for garbage pick-up, or I’m the only one who pays for this service, so that could explain why Waste Management decides not to give service to the street where I live.

Tell me, Waste Management, is that extra dollar that was added and called “administrative cost” the amount it took to buy the St. John Parish Council? That extra cost has not improved services, since on several Wednesdays and Saturdays, I must call to request that the garbage be picked up, because this is the scheduled day for West 18th Street in Reserve.

Then, I usually call my councilman, Allen St. Pierre, and now I’m even calling the parish president’s residence late at night, demanding that the garbage be picked up.

I am not interested that Waste Management (which cannot manage to pick up waste) contracted concerned streets to Metro – well, that’s not my problem. Waste Management, you have the contract for this service with this parish, and you should be responsible if this other company cannot handle their end of whatever scheme you two have.

I’d like to suggest that the garbage that’s not picked up on the days that it’s supposed to be, be dumped off in front of the parish president’s office (like a Boston Tea Party) – but better yet, how would the council, especially those living in LaPlace where Waste Management has exclusive pickup rights, like the garbage dumped in their front yards. I bet that action would make them rethink their contract with Waste Management. Like I was told, do whatever it takes.

I hope that the council has more integrity than having angry constituents dump their garbage in their front yards, because all that would do is prove both Waste Management and the parish council are wasteful in its management of a private company and public government office.