To the Editor:

Here we go again. There is no one to accept responsibility. City Council says don’t blame us for SPSA problems. The past rep for City Council on SPSA says he has nothing to apologize for.

Our past city manager looked the other way and now oversees SPSA. Most of the old management team at SPSA is gone. So who is responsible for this mess as it affects the citizens of Franklin? Everyone above. When our tipping fees have gone in one year from $50 a ton to $245 a ton (the highest in the country) and our bills will be going up another $20 to $30 a month, then think of them. They were responsible to us, but you will never get them to admit it. Also, with the amount of recyclables declining each month, you can be sure to see these rates to go even higher.

Here is another fact.: With the sweetheart deals that Suffolk and Virginia Beach have until 2018, don’t expect they will be much help. They will do all they can to keep things as they are because it is not a problem for them. If the shoe was on the other foot, we would probably be doing the same thing.

Again, we are going to the highest rates in the country for this trash disposal. With a lot of people in Franklin retired, on fixed incomes or losing their jobs, this is terrible.

So, when you get your new bills in March and are shocked, call City Council members and our past SPSA rep and city manager and thank them for this New Year’s present. They are accountable to the citizens of Franklin for this mess whether they ever apologize to us or not.

We have a good man, Barry Cheatham, now as our representative, but he can not do it all by himself. We can not afford these higher rates over an extended period of time, so push for a solution where you will probably have to think out of the box. While doing this, don’t leave the citizens in the dark on what is going on. If you do, it will come back to bite you!

Don Blythe Sr.

Franklin