Candidate drops garbage petition

<p>Ray Johnson — a retired telecommunications executive who is running for City Council in November — last week canceled his petition drive to let residents vote on a garbage rate reduction.</p><p>Johnson was seeking about 5,000 signatures by July 6 in order to get an initiative on the November ballot that would let voters extend the city's contract with North Bay Corp. The company said that a contract extension of five years would allow for garbage rate reductions of up to 10 percent for residents.</p><p>According to Johnson, “red tape” by city officials prevented him from being able to get the needed signatures in time. City processing of the petition took 30 days, leaving him with 37 days to gather 4,599 signatures, which he said “under perfect conditions is an impossible task.”</p><p>The City Council voted 4-3 in April not to explore a public vote to extend the contract and the possibility of a 10 percent rate reduction. Council members said that the garbage contract protects residents and that opening it up could expose residents to higher rates later on.</p><p> — Argus-Courier Staff</p>