Boonsboro officials: Money for curbside recycling isn't there

November 02, 2009|By DAVE McMILLION

BOONSBORO -- Boonsboro town officials on Monday debated curbside recycling in town but rejected the idea when they accepted a bid for regular garbage pickup.

Town council member Barbara Wetzel suggested curbside recycling, but other officials said they did not think the town could afford it.

Council members -- with the exception of Wetzel -- approved a $170,305 bid from Key Sanitation for an 18-month garbage collection service.

There were options to add recycling to the plan, including one for once-a-week curbside service that would have cost an extra $123,362.

An option that offered curbside recycling twice a month would have cost an extra $73,580.

Mayor Charles F. "Skip" Kauffman Jr. said the town could not afford the $73,580.

"The money's just not there," Kauffman said.

Assistant Mayor Howard Long said towns are probably going to face more state funding cuts in the struggling economy.

Council member Kevin Chambers also said he did not think the town could afford recycling.

"I think we've discussed this enough," Chambers said.

Wetzel took her colleagues to task for not considering a plan that would have reduced the number of garbage pickup days in town and including some recycling.

Wetzel tried to make an amendment that would allow the town to negotiate different terms in the contract after it was approved.

Although Kauffman approved the idea, Chambers would not accept Wetzel's amendment when he made a motion to accept the Key Sanitation contract.

At a public meeting in Boonsboro last May, residents pushed for curbside recycling and described recycling efforts in the county as being in the "Dark Ages."

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