Winamac council hears from those who want recycling to continue

Winamac Town Council members are hearing the concerns of some residents who are opposed to the town no longer offering recycling.
Council members took time during a regular meeting on Jan. 14 to hear from Brian and MacKenzie Ledley, who are disappointed that the recycling will end in March when the garbage and recycling contract expires.
Brian Ledley asked why the town is considering no longer offering recycling. He questioned if the town would be paying more this year for recycling than compared to last year.
The council members again reviewed the costs of garbage pickup and recycling due to hearing their concerns. The town pays $11,834.12 per month for garbage and recycling. They paid about $142,009.44 last year. With the new contract the town would pay $14,553.60 per month for both recycling and garbage pickup. Garbage pickup only with the same contract is $10,728 per month. For a year of just garbage pickup it is estimated to cost $128,736. Garbage and recycling for a year would cost $174,643.20.
In five years it will cost the town $676,368 for garbage pickup and $918,144 for both garbage and recycling pickup. The difference is estimated to be $241,776.
“It costs us about $48,000 a year to do recycling,” said council president Tom Murray.
Brian Ledley estimated that the cost for each home is about $2 per pickup per house. The recycling is picked up twice a month.
“There is no one opposed to recycling,” said councilman Alvin Parish. “It is a financial thing and the fact of putting the garbage in the recycling. It’s a waste of time.”
MacKenzie Ledley said there are people in town who are willing to pay for recycling so that it doesn’t stop.
No decisions were made by the council regarding whether or not to continue the recycling.