| Woodland going green by recycling | | Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 9:04 pm
| By DONNA RYDER
Associate Editor
Woodland Mills is going green.
The small community in Obion County is leading the way and will be setting the example for the rest of the county in curbside recycling.
Mayor Wade Carrington and aldermen Waymon Reagan and Tom Menees agreed to contract with Barker Brothers/Republic Services for the modified solid waste/recycling program.
For many years, the city has contracted with the company to pick up garbage in the city.
Carrington stated at Monday night’s board meeting that of the 20 people who attended the Oct. 29 town hall meeting to discuss the recycling program, 10 people spoke. Seven were for the new program, while three were against it. Of the seven, Reagan said about four were against it when they came to City Hall but changed their minds once they realized they would still be getting a weekly service.
Carrington added all residents received a letter inviting them to the meeting.
Reagan said based on the response, he would agree the city needs to “go ahead” with the recycling program. He encouraged other cities considering the program to have a town hall meeting so the program can be explained.
Menees said he has had several residents approach him who were against it at first. However, once the program was explained, they decided the city should have been doing it years ago.
The new service will add $1 to the $12 fee already being charged for household pickup. It will help pay for the new bins which will be placed at each residence.
As explained by Bryan Barker and Dave Bragg, residents will have two carts. The first is the existing cart, which is either all green or all blue. Residents will continue to dispose of food waste, glass, Styrofoam, bathroom paper waste, rubber, wood and other non-recyclables in this can. A second cart, which will be blue with a green lid and will include the recycle symbol, will be the one in which residents will place those items which Barker Brothers can recycle. These items include paper, cardboard, newsprint, food boxes, cardboard, books, all plastics and metal containers, such as aluminum cans and food cans. Bragg has said it would be nice if the plastic bottles and cans were washed out, but it is not necessary. Items in the recycling bin should not be bagged.
Pickup for the two carts will alternate. One week Barker Brothers will pick- up the household waste garbage can, while the next week it will pick up the recycling garbage can. Carrington requested the company provide a year-long calendar with the weeks designated. Pick up will continue to be on Wednesdays in the city.
Barker said Monday night the company has the bins available and is ready to place them once the calendars are printed. He said the company will set the bins on a Thursday and, since the calendar could be printed this week and Thanksgiving is next week, it will be the first week of December before the bins could be placed. He said they will be available for residents to use this Christmas.
There was also discussion of placing recycling bins at the ball park and having weekly pickup for garbage at the ball park during baseball season.
The city will also provide the company with a list of people who have had their water cut off and who are therefore not paying their garbage bill to the city. Barker Brothers will pick up bins at those homes and will not place recycling bins there.
“I really appreciate what you are doing. … Woodland Mills will be the model city to show it works,” Barker said.
For residents in the remainder of Obion County, Barker Brothers has recycling bins available at its location near Troy, behind South Fulton Middle/High School and at the Obion County Recycle Center in Union City.
After Monday’s meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Reagan and in prayer by Menees, the board:
• Heard $49 in 2011 property taxes and $434 in 2012 property taxes were paid within the last month. Unpaid property taxes include $167 from 2009, $419 from 2010, $1,019 from 2011 and $24,552 from 2012. Carrington noted the bills just went out for 2012. The city is also still owed $15 by Charter Communications in utility taxes from 2009.
• Approved October financial statements, including $7,738.02 in the refuse collection fund, $7,825.86 in the street aid fund, $570,545.93 in the sewer fund and $68,731.56 in the general fund.
• Voted on first reading to amend the 2012-13 budget to include the city’s recent paving project.
• Donated $100 to Chimes for Charity.
• Set the Dec. 10 meeting for 5:30 p.m., with the annual business appreciation dinner to follow at 6:30.
• Approved Christmas bonuses of $225 for city employees.
Associate Editor Donna Ryder can be contacted by email at dryder@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 11.13.12 | | | | |
