Alpena Township trustees made a conscious decision to move forward in negotiating a contract that would keep recycling a service for township residents. After much discussion, trustees voted unanimously to have Supervisor Marie Twite return to the Montmorency-Oscoda-Alpena Solid Waste Management Authority landfill board to negotiate a contract and bring it back to the township board next month.
Twite, along with Howard Lumsden, supervisor of Long Rapids Township, and Ken Lobert, supervisor of Ossineke Township, attended the landfill's board meeting Friday. While at the meeting, the supervisors learned the landfill would terminate their recycling program Jan. 1 but would pull the roll-off boxes from their locations by Dec. 10 unless interest is expressed in continuing the program.
Twite drafted a recycling and transfer operation program proposal and read it to the trustees Monday evening. The proposal will need the support of the townships and the city in order to make the program viable.
According to the proposal, without the current program director, it was estimated that income from this operation would be $65,500 and expenses $91,276 leaving a $26,276 difference.
In an effort to bring about fairness to the recycling program, Alpena County governmental units are suggesting to participate in the program as stakeholders by way of funding but want MOA to continue operating the program.
"We feel that this would bring about equality if Alpena County units of government paid a portion of the program through per capita, which would generate $29,520 using 2008 census numbers. There is a difference of $3,244 which we would like to see applied to our communities purchasing the roll-off boxes," it states.
The proposal also states that if an agreement is reached it would set the stage for any other units of government that would want to participate.
The township would be expected to contribute $9,454 to the program, an amount that had some trustees concerned given the township's budget and the current economic circumstances.
Trustee Stan Mischley said Evergreen Recycling in Alpena is another option that was brought up at the supervisors' meeting. Twite said she wasn't opposed to working with Evergreen Recycling but that it's her understanding the company doesn't have enough space as it's still in the City of Alpena.
Trustee Lou Baker was worried the township wouldn't be able to afford the recycling program. Twite reiterated the proposal was a draft and a starting point for negotiations.
Both Twite and Trustee Gary Schuelke said they have received numerous calls from citizens asking them to keep the recycling program.
"If we can work out something I would be in favor that we work out something. If we can't then we can't," Twite said.
She will bring the draft proposal to the landfill board at its Nov. 13 meeting.
In other business:
- DPW Director Phil Heath awarded a volunteer award to citizen Robert Bunting for painting over 100 of the township's fire hydrants.
- the board voted unanimously to allow Twite and Heath to attend the MIOSHA training at Alpena Community College Dec. 10-11.
- the board awarded a bid for winter snow removal to Tom Male at a rate of $45 per hour in snow plowing.
- the board tabled the purchase of a thermal imaging camera for the fire department and will review it at budget.
- the next board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7.
Crystal Nelson can be reached via e-mail at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.