To the Editor:

It seems reasonable to suggest that the town of Goffstown should consider renaming Juniper Drive “Trash Can Alley” (or Drive as the case may be).

Here it is Thursday evening and once again there are still several empty trash containers hanging out into the middle of Juniper Drive. This seems to be a pattern every week no matter what the season or the weather. By the way, trash pick up on Juniper Drive is Tuesday.

So, you have to wonder, if the trash is being removed every Tuesday (and it is), why are the cans still in the road? Are the people in this neighborhood that busy that they can’t be bothered to bring their empty cans back onto their property or are they just plain lazy?

Oh, and what about the overflowing cans that start showing up in the middle of the road on the weekend in anticipation of Tuesday?

Darrell Wozniak
Goffstown

To the Editor:

The solution to recycling is profit. Trash = profit.

The solid waste commissioner chairman is addressing the wrong problem. Garbage (solid waste) is an asset, not a liability. This asset comes to the town free. Do not look a gift horse in the mouth. Take all you can get with appreciation.

Instead of trying to penalize the public with pay-as-you-throw penalties and subscription fees try to find ways of turning a profit on this free asset. Many Massachusetts towns are making a profit on trash.

Instead of looking with negative eyes on the input stream, the town commissioner should be looking for a positive output stream.

I sat next to a gentleman on a flight from MHT to LAS last week who had a very positive opinion of trash. He’s been in the recycling business for 20 profitable years. His stock symbol is NVRO, NOVA Oil Co.; as in reclaimed oil.

He owns several recycling operations, including glass, metal, fiber and, of course, aluminum. There’s profit in the trash piles but you have to dig for it.

The town’s current 27 percent recycling rate is a good cause to take a look at the single stream program adopted by the town in 2004.

Profitable recycling is not accomplished in residents’ homes, it’s gained at the transfer station drop-off point.

Paid, knowledgeable, trained people at the drop off can turn liability into profit.

A pay-as-you-throw program will fail as surely as the existing single-stream program has. It will add more handling cost and incite more dissatisfaction with the public.

Take a new view Fred; instead of punishing people for not recycling, try rewarding them for giving you a free asset. Maybe if we could achieve a 100 percent recycling rate we could even pay residents a fee for reducing the input stream cost by presorting their trash into recyclable and non-recyclable containers.

The expense of any recycling program is on the output stream side, not the input stream side. You get it free. You pay to handle and dispose of it. There are many existing entities ready, willing and able to pay to take your output stream; they will take it free of charge if you are stupid enough to give it to them. You should be looking at ways to sell your output stream, not at ways to assess fees upon your input stream.

Any recycling program should be run like any other for-profit enterprise, raw material in, value-added product out. A recycling program should be a manufacturing industry, not a service industry.

You should be looking for customers to buy your products, not victims to pay your service fees. You should be looking for ways to increase the value of your product and for new outlets for your product.

The minimum goal of a solid waste program should be to generate enough profit from recycling to pay for the disposal of non-recyclables.

Elwood Stagakis
Weare

To the Editor:

Beverly and Christopher Powden of 27 Autumn St. are the next people “caught doing it right” with respect to single-stream recycling using “Big Blue.” Beverly and Christopher recently upgraded to a 95-gallon “Bigger Blue” tote from the standard 65-gallon size.

They maintain two cans in their kitchen, one for trash and the other for recycling. They are teaching their three kids about the benefits of recycling and what goes where. Beverly says that they recycle anything they can put into recycling. About all that winds up in the trash is food waste.

She estimates that two-thirds of their waste stream is being recycled. The 95-gallon “Bigger Blue” is usually full and she’s grateful for the extra room.

Thanks, Beverly and Christopher, for helping keep taxes low and helping the planet to boot.

Fred Plett, Chairman
Goffstown Solid Waste
Commission

To the Editor:

On behalf of the many people who benefit from his efforts, we wish to express our deepest thanks to Bob Fischer, branch manager of Goffstown’s Citizen’s Bank.

For about a year, we’ve seen Bob working behind the scenes to help develop local businesses and support our community.

This was most evident last week when he worked to name Crispin’s House as the beneficiary of a Citizen’s Bank charitable award of $1,100 through the Manchester Wolves touchdown program. This money will go to help area kids stay out of trouble and take full responsibility for their behavior.

At the same time, he worked to get a Goffstown business, Brown Graphix, outstanding recognition for the “not your typical business” award, earning a $1,000 donation for the United Way.

Bob Fischer grew up here in Goffstown and is continuing to give back to the community. We sincerely thank him for going the extra mile for his neighbors and working to make Goffstown a better place for our children and our businesses.

Jennifer Brown,
Brown Graphix
Laurie Hambleton
Crispin’s House Inc.

To the Editor:

My name is Kelly Teevan and I am running a write-in campaign for New Hampshire House of Representatives for Hillsborough District 7 (Goffstown and Weare). I ask for your support at the Sept. 12 primary election.

My family has lived in Goffstown since 1994. My daughters have attended the Villa Augustina and my wife, Ann Norton, teaches English at Saint Anselm College.

I have a background in finance and management, have served on boards in statewide education and arts and have taught business classes for adults. Locally, I co-chaired the land use committee on the last Goffstown Master Plan and served as treasurer of the Library Friends.

I believe that we need to be good stewards of the great heritage we enjoy in New Hampshire ­ both the land and the quality of life. We must pass onto our children and grandchildren an environment that is as healthy, life-filled and sustaining as that we enjoy today. I believe that a good education creates well-informed and active citizens, who become good stewards themselves.

Good education also creates a population that can afford to take care of our homes, our land and resources and the less fortunate among us, and can invest in long-term solutions ­ accessible health care, public transit, renewable energy ­ and in the arts and other needs.

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, please go to the polls and write in “Kelly Teevan” on the Democratic primary ballot.

Your support is critical to enabling the Democratic party of Goffstown and Weare to compete fairly for all eight representative seats in the November general election.

Kelly Teevan
Goffstown

To the Editor:

The other night I heard Carol Shea-Porter speak, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in District 1. I was so impressed by her and so excited about the prospect of making a difference in a world that is clearly going from bad to worse that I couldn’t sleep.

By morning, I knew I had to tell as many people as possible how excited I am about her candidacy.

Carol is a bright, articulate, thoughtful candidate. She is honest and a straight shooter. She is also passionate about the issues that most of us care deeply about.

Whether she is speaking about the environment, healthcare, the war, education or the economy, I believe her views resonate deeply with those of my fellow citizens.

She is strong on environmental protection, strong on health care for all and ready to throw out No Child Left Behind in order to make way for teaching children once again.

Carol has also done her homework. She has followed Jeb Bradley around to dozens of town hall meeting across New Hampshire to challenge his point of view and observe his techniques for avoiding responding to hard questions. She has also studied every single vote he has cast during his congressional term.

A dynamic speaker, Carol is eager to take on Jeb Bradley. I believe that with Bradley’s strong ties to Bush’s troubled presidency, coupled with Carol’s clear, articulate style, she is capable of winning the election.

We complain about the state of the world. This is our chance to do something! Visit Carol Shea-Porter’s Web site at www.CarolforCongress.com. If you are inspired by what you see, tell your friends and colleagues. Then join her grassroots campaign. Carol is relying on people like you and me to turn around the direction this country is headed.

The Sept. 12 primary is our opportunity to begin to shift the balance of power and change the face of Congress and our country. Haven’t we had enough?

Please don’t ignore this opportunity to make a difference. Join me in supporting Carol Shea-Porter, a candidate who can make a difference.

Beth Olshansky
Durham

To the Editor:

The political race for the Republican ticket in District 9 is an interesting one which has the attention of others outside of District 9.

Regardless of political affiliation, I believe the choice is clear, Marc Snider holds the core values which best represent the interests of the residents representing any district. What is needed is someone who will listen to the people and is intelligent enough to weigh wants vs. needs against complex and heated issues.

I have seen Marc fight for family values, this is where he started and I am confident Marc will bring this passion to all issues he is faced with in District 9. “He hasn’t held office, so he doesn’t have a record” are weak words, every candidate must start somewhere. That is why we must look at their core values.

Marc became interested in politics because he was exposed to the antiquated legislation that runs this state. This goes well outside child support Sen. Roberge. We need new leadership, ideas and focus on New Hampshire’s current issues, not a voting record!

Marc Snider will clearly bring this much needed balance to the Senate.

New Hampshire needs to have a future to prosper and meet the needs of the people in current times.

Sen. Roberge is hung up in maintaining the “status quo” of the New Hampshire “Good Ole” days. Those times have past, and so should her term as senator.

Vote Marc Snider, and bring New Hampshire into the new millennium!

Dale Tesch
Madbury