03-11-87 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES City Council March 11, 1987 Solid Waste Tipler reported that the City should currently concentrate its efforts Advisory in the area of recycling. The County wou1d like every City to begin Committee a recycling program during 1987. Two options available are Report a City-wide drop-off center and curbside collection. (Cont.) Tipler suggested that a drop-off center could be located near the Public Works Garage and City employees could be responsible for keeping the area neat. The City could either hire someone to haul the materials collected to a recycling site, or City employees could do this. Money would be paid by the recycling center, so eventually a drop-off site should be self-supporting. The other option, curbside recycling, would involve residents separating trash and setting it out on curbs for collection by a hired hauler on a designated day. The hauler would most likely keep the money collected for recyclables and also charge residents a fee. Tipler reported that the County is offering a grant program, which the City has applied for, which would pay 75% of the set-up costs for a recycling program. The other 25% of the costs may be paid for by the Metropolitan Council. There would be very little cost to the City in setting up a recycling program for the next two to three years. Tipler pointed out that there are pros and cons to each system and that Little Canada has not been involved in a recycling program in the past and its residents would need to be educated. Tipler also suggested that the City actively seek more residents to join the Advisory Committee, so that the City will have a better ' indication for the feelings of its residents. Tipler reported that the Committee has decided to advertise for bids for the curbside recycling to determine what trash haulers are offering in terms of such a service. Tipler also reported that State law makes it clear that by January 1, 1990 landfills will not accept unprocessed waste. The County has written a plan to comply with this law. Fahey felt that curbside recycling was preferable to a drop-off center as there would be a maintenance problem with such a center. Fahey asked what experience other cities might have had. Colleen Alpine, Ramsey County Solid Waste Planner, replied that the County is advocating curbside recycling and feels that more will be accomplished through this program. However, some smaller cities are looking at drop-off centers. However, the County's goals are so ambitious that a drop-off center will probably not meet these goals. Scalze pointed out the number of multiple dwelling units in the City, and asked if recycling efforts should be coordinated with the homeowners associations of these units. Page -4-