Staff Writer

The manager of a local restaurant wants to know what he's getting for his tax dollars if the City of Union refuses to haul away yard waste he's been clearing from behind an old building.

Bantam Chef manager Michael Lancaster spoke to Union City Council Tuesday night about the city's refusal to haul off yard waste he's cleared from behind the old Bantam Chef building at 805 South Pinckney St. The Bantam Chef restaurant, located across the street, is owned by Lancaster's father-in-law, Calvin Walker, who also owns the old building, located between Lil' Cricket and Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Lancaster said the area behind the old building is overgrown with some old Mimosa trees and vines, creating a hiding place for people who gather to drink alcohol. He said he has had to constantly go over there and clean up the site of trash including beer and liquor bottles. To remedy this, Lancaster said he decided to clear away the brush to make the area visible and stop people from congregating there and leaving a mess.

As he worked to clear the site, Lancaster said he placed the debris - which he described as sticks and tree limbs - on the sidewalk to be collected by the city sanitation department. Three days of work produced a huge pile which still had not been collected and Lancaster said he called the city about it. He said he was told that the city, which does not provide garbage collection for businesses, does not pick up yard debris from a business either.

“I don't understand what the issue is about picking up yard debris for a business,” he said. “It's sticks and limbs, there's no garbage in it.

“I don't understand what we're getting for our tax dollars,” he said. “We've not received garbage collection since they cut out collecting garbage for businesses eight-10 years ago.”

Lancaster, who is out of town for the remainder of the week, said that when he returns to Union he will resume clearing. He said if the city does not haul off the debris, he will make arrangements to do so himself.

“I feel like the city should pick up yard waste regardless of whether it comes from a business or a residence,” he said. “It's kind of frivolous to make a distinction. It's yard waste. What's the difference if it comes from a residence or a business?”

Public services director Perry Harmon said the city provides garbage, yard and bulk waste collection for city residents who pay the $12 a month solid waste fee. The fee covers the cost of the 90-gallon roll-out cart given to each customer and the cost of once a week garbage collection; weekly yard debris removal; and weekly bulk waste removal - furniture, mattresses, boxes or anything else too big to fit in the roll-out cart.

Harmon said businesses have the option not to pay the solid waste fee and those that opt not to do not receive city garbage collection. He said businesses that pay the fee get the roll-out cart and weekly garbage collection. They do not, however, receive yard or bulk waste collection. As for the Bantam Chef, Harmon said its garbage is disposed of in a dumpster and collected by a private contractor.

Lancaster said his father-in-law had to hire a private contractor to haul off the restaurant's trash after the city discontinued collecting garbage from businesses.

“I don't see what services or benefits we get from paying city taxes,” he said. “I know we get police and fire protection but you can get that in the county.”