To the Editor:

This is in reference to your article and editorial [SPSA’s turnaround is its best move] in the June 29 edition of your paper.

The report indicated that $140,000 was restored to the Southeastern Public Service Authority budget for reopening six part-time collection sites for hazardous household waste.

The article also noted that the Franklin site is open from 9 a.m. to noon the last Thursday of each month, that only 35 people took advantage of it in all of 2006, and 55 gallons of liquid waste and 145 pounds of solid waste were disposed of there.

Your editoral stated, &uot;The difference to the fiscal year’s budget is $144,000, or about $460 per week per transfer station.&uot;

Now if my math is correct, the above figures would further break down to $613 per hour for a driver and pickup truck to collect waste from an average of three people per month at the local transfer station since this service is available only three hours per month.

I strongly favor the collection of hazardous waste, but I also feel that it could be accomplished in a much more efficient and less costly manner such as:

* 1. Erect a small shed on the site to store the collected hazardous waste. (Space appears to be available.)

* 2. Change the hours of collection to any time the site is open. (Who can remember these hours?)

* 3. Use the current staffing to collect the waste.

* 4. Transfer the small amount of refuse to Suffolk on some of the many trucks or pickup trucks that we see on the road daily.

According to my calculations, this process would save SPSA $140,000 annually.

Floyd Wellons

Franklin