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The City of Weyburn will be moving ahead with the implementation of their new automated refuse system at the beginning of January, 2011, in spite of signs there is some resistance to the startup that soon.

In a vote at the most recent council meeting, the mayor and Coun. Dick Michel both opposed the January startup, preferring instead to wait until April 1, after the cold and snow of winter is largely over with.

In some ways, it makes sense to start it up then, since residents have from now until New Year's Day to figure where they will put the new city-supplied rollout bin. Also, the city will have its automated truck here by December, so there is no sense keeping the truck in storage until April.

Some residents have indicated this large new bin will be too unwieldy for them to handle, so the city will offer a smaller bin for those who want them.

On the other hand, unless it's a mild winter, January is one of the coldest months of the year, and if there's a lot of snow, it may be highly inconvenient for some residents to get the bins out in front for collection, especially those who are elderly and already have enough trouble keeping the snow cleared from their driveways and sidewalks.

On top of this, the city wants to enforce the idea that once the garbage has been picked up, residents are required to roll the bins back off the street, under penalty of a fine. One would hope the city will see fit for a period of leniency on this, until they see how well the system works.

As a councillor pointed out, however, residents have to get their garbage out for pickup through the winter anyway, regardless of snow or cold - so does it make that much difference if it's in a new bin?

It's true, there will be some resistance, because some people just don't like change; so the wise course to take, is to take it slow, and allow people to see it's actually a good idea whose time has come.