Special Edition: City Manager Denies Support of Single Use Bag Fee and Bag Ban

In our last episode, Tia & Erik covered the November 12th Elgin Sustainability Commission meeting and unpacked the commission's discussion about their Single Use Bag Fee ordinance proposal to the city council (which happened almost two years ago).

They also reported on what commissioners were saying, which was they were hearing the city manager's office was warming to the idea of a single use bag ban instead of the commission's recommended bag fee.
 
Tia & Erik also shared feedback they had received from an unscientific online survey they distributed via social media on this issue.
 
With all that being said, this SPECIAL EDITION episode focuses on the city manager's office's response to The Elgin Watchman's online survey and previous podcast episode.

Tia & Erik specifically talk about a leaked email letter from the city's Director of Communications & Engagement on behalf of the city manager to senior staff and city council members. In that leaked letter, the city manager tries to address "inaccuracies" in The Elgin Watchman's coverage.
   
In this SPECIAL EDITION podcast episode, Tia & Erik try to address "inaccuracies" and "misrepresentations" in city hall's leaked email letter.

***NOTE 1*** Despite city hall's denials, The Elgin Watchman stands by its coverage and reporting on this issue because it was what was discussed at an open public meeting. The Nov. 12th meeting was attended by city council appointed members of the Sustainability Commission with a former city staff member chairing the meeting, a current city staff member in the room whose job is to advise and support the commission, and an elected member of the city council.

***NOTE 2*** It is important to note that no one shut down discussion about the City Manager's Office alleged support of a single use bag ban . . . nor did anyone question it. Everyone at the Nov. 12th commission meeting accepted it as fact, which is why The Watchman report on it and stands by its coverage of this open meeting.

***NOTE 3*** A leaked copy of Jeff Knox's email to senior staff and city council members is posted on The Elgin Watchman's website in the Blog Section with our critique and responses. (Please note . . . the Blog Section is behind a $0.00 pay wall that you simply need to set-up your login credentials to access)  CLICK HERE to read that email with paragraph by paragraph commentary by The Watchman.

***NOTE 4*** Finally, it is also interesting for our loyal listening audience to note that city hall has not reached out to The Elgin Watchman to deny any of this coverage.

***INVITATION TO CITY MANAGER*** We extend an invitation to City Manager Rick Kozal to sit for an interview, straighten out the record, and clearly explain his Office's position on single use bags, their impact on the city's waste hauler, the effect they have on local landfills, and city hall's point of view on the bigger picture of "sustainability" beyond just one issue like single use bags.
 
For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.