The long awaited decisions about the City's trash/garbage collection will have to wait a little longer, it seems. "We've got the figures we need. . . but there wasn't enough time to call a meeting (of the Public Works Committee)," according to Committee liaison Mike Ford at Monday's Council meeting. In light of rising pick-up costs, falling recycled material values and the city's soon to be full landfill-- the Committee had been tasked since last Feb. to study alternatives and make recommendations (higher fees for residents, change to once weekly garbage pick-up, etc.). A new twist is the County's recently approved "Team Green Recycling" plan-- to construct a privately funded, semi-automatic recycling facility near Summerdale-- that could eventually provide another less costly solid waste option for municipalities as well. The new facility will eventually have the capacity to recover renewable energy (gasses,etc.) as well. Mayor Kant said he had some preliminary discussion with county officials about "having them do ours (recycling)" -- and Council President Quinn concurred, "We need to get more information." (The City has recently discussed building a new recycling facility of its own.) The $10 million Team Green facility is to be operational in no more than 2 years, according to its contract with the county (see online County Commission minutes, Agenda Item C6, Jul 21st meeting). [Public Works Director Fiddler had previously estimated Fairhope's C & D (construction and debris) landfill will reach capacity by year's end, when debris will have to be hauled to a county site instead (at increased costs). Our garbage is already hauled there.] [$240,000 was the previously mentioned per year cost saving of once weekly garbage pick-up]
The long awaited decisions about the City's trash/garbage collection will have to wait a little longer, it seems. "We've got the figures we need. . . but there wasn't enough time to call a meeting (of the Public Works Committee)," according to Committee liaison Mike Ford at Monday's Council meeting. In light of rising pick-up costs, falling recycled material values and the city's soon to be full landfill-- the Committee had been tasked since last Feb. to study alternatives and make recommendations (higher fees for residents, change to once weekly garbage pick-up, etc.). A new twist is the County's recently approved "Team Green Recycling" plan-- to construct a privately funded, semi-automatic recycling facility near Summerdale-- that could eventually provide another less costly solid waste option for municipalities as well. The new facility will eventually have the capacity to recover renewable energy (gasses,etc.) as well. Mayor Kant said he had some preliminary discussion with county officials about "having them do ours (recycling)" -- and Council President Quinn concurred, "We need to get more information." (The City has recently discussed building a new recycling facility of its own.) The $10 million Team Green facility is to be operational in no more than 2 years, according to its contract with the county (see online County Commission minutes, Agenda Item C6, Jul 21st meeting). [Public Works Director Fiddler had previously estimated Fairhope's C & D (construction and debris) landfill will reach capacity by year's end, when debris will have to be hauled to a county site instead (at increased costs). Our garbage is already hauled there.] [$240,000 was the previously mentioned per year cost saving of once weekly garbage pick-up]
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