I’ve lived in Slippery Rock for almost 17 years and have attended many borough council meetings. When I first starting going to the meetings, I thought these people had no idea what they were doing. Some 15 years later, it has not changed.

They changed bulk trash pickup day from May to March because, as councilman Jerry Heller said, “We can do anything we want.” Councilman Itzi Metzli has been trying to get it changed back to May for several months, but council does not want to hear it. Numerous people have complained about it and now they suggest private committee meetings. That’s a joke. What are they going to discuss that they haven’t already heard? It’s just another delay tactic.

They do not want to admit they were wrong. Frank Monteleone has told them about other college towns and what they do for bulk pickup, but they turn a deaf ear.

Other college towns have a bulk trash day after graduation. Most all college students who reside in Slippery Rock Borough pay for trash 52 weeks per year — and they are only here half of the year, when you subtract out all the breaks. Talk about taking advantage of a group of people on a limited income. With Slippery Rock University having an annual total economic impact on the area of approximately $350 million and the fact a lot of these hard-working students make little more than minimum wage, this is totally disrespectful.

I do not know how they can look these young people in the eye and say welcome to town, while in my opinion the borough steals some of their hard-earned money. These SRU students are required by most all leases to have no trash left behind for their end of school year inspection, before their security deposit can be returned. What was Slippery Rock Borough thinking?