Threatened by budget cuts, Independence Township found a way to keep their Recycle Center located at 6050 Flemings Lake Road open for at least one more year, but at a cost.
‘The main goal is to get it to pay for itself,? Department of Public Works Director Linda Richardson said. ‘If we get it to pay for itself then it’s no money out of the general fund.?
Richardson said $25 per registration could do it.
‘A lot of people don’t realize we have to pay to get rid of it,? she said. We’ve checked around (at different companies) for years and done recycling for years and no matter where we go, we have to pay for it. Nobody offers to give us money for recycling, just for oil.?
In 2008, cost to the township was $30,000 because they accepted recycling from all around the area. Then in 2009, they implemented registration, eliminating nonresidents of Independence Township. They had 1,235 total registrations at a cost of around $25,000.
‘A lot of people that called in said they would be more than willing to pay $25, we probably had 50 calls,? she said. ‘I cannot predict what type of response we’ll receive, but only one resident we spoke with said they would not pay to use the recycling center.?
So far this year, they have about 12 registrations. At this time last year, she said they were at almost 120.
‘We’d like to see it continue,? she said. ‘Especially for the people who are in apartments and condos and mobile home parks because they have no way to recycle.?
The township board voted 5-2, Jan. 5, to approve $21,000 for the recycling center, as well as the $25 registration fee.
‘I know by charging, we’ll have fewer registrations and fewer people using it,? Richardson said. ‘Fewer users would also result in a reduced cost for our pickup.?
Trustee Mark Petterson said his main concern was the budget didn’t include manpower costs.
‘We need to start doing some more cost recovery in this township,? Petterson said. ‘It’s a great thing, great for the ecology and the world God gave us, but we still need to be able to not operate at loss.?
Trustee Larry Rosso agreed and said other services may end up going ‘from township provided to self supporting.?
‘It’s unfortunate we have to go to this route,? he said. ‘People will have to understand if they’re really pro environment, they’re going to have to pay a little bit more in order for this service to continue.?
Treasurer Curt Carson suggested charging $3-$5 a month as oppose to a yearly charge. Richardson said they could do that, but once people have the access code, they can get in unless she changed the access code quarterly.
‘The problem I have is the water and sewer rate payers, paying for something that has absolutely nothing to do with water and sewer,? he said. ‘I don’t have any problem trying to provide the recycling, but I think it should fund itself and break even. We shouldn’t make money on it, but it should break even.?
Township resident Dave Clark suggested if they didn’t go with the $25 fee, perhaps a $5 charge ‘per use.?
Trustee David Lohmeier, who voted “no” on the issue said he was all for recycling, but better controls were needed to make sure access code weren’t abused and given out randomly.
‘I just think we went a little too fast and could have spent a couple more weeks getting the act together,? he said. ‘I wanted to pass something that I was sure we weren’t going to lose money on because we can’t afford to lose money. Now, it’s ‘I hope you’re right.? We just didn’t go far enough on it.?
The board asked Richardson to give a report and review in May. Trustee Neil Wallace said ‘there is no way to perfectly control this? and they would ‘have to rely on the better nature of people.?
‘The other thing we can do in May is let it be known too if people aren’t going to use it or use inappropriately, that it will shut down at the end of the year,? he said. ‘That call may fire people up to begin to use it more appropriately. They will then have control of it being there, they can’t just take it for granted.?
The center accepts used antifreeze, maximum 10 gallons; used motor oil, 10 gallon maximum; cardboard and boxes, flattened and clean; household plastic containers only; clear white, green, and brown glass;, aluminum cans; newspaper, shredded paper, copy paper, magazines, phone books, junk mail and brown paper bags, bundled and dry. No longer accepted are batteries or tires.??