Athens City Council might need to increase curbside recycling charges because the city lost about $300,000 in 2009 revenue after a sales drop of items made from recycled materials.
The City of Athens sells containers and other items made from recycled materials, which in 2008 and other years brought in about $500,000 for the city, but in 2009 the city made only about $200,000 from the products, said Councilwoman Nancy Bain, D-3rd Ward. The money helped pay the costs of curbside recycling pick up.
At yesterday's city council meeting Bain proposed an increase for curbside recycling pick up from $2.50 a month to an undetermined sum to make up for the lost revenue.
The slow down in sales also forced the Athens-Hocking Joint Solid Waste Management District to lay off recycling employees, she said, although she did not know the exact number.
We need a temporary boost in fees to offset the problems for sale materials
Bain said.
The money collected from the raised monthly recycling payment would go to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the solid waste district, she said.
During the meeting, council members also discussed installing carbon monoxide detectors in all rental properties.
Carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous for you said Councilwoman Sherry Coon, D-2nd Ward.
The detectors would be in by Sept. 1 if all goes well, she said.
The detectors would cost about $60 and would be easy to install, Bain said.
Coon said members of council hope to extend this proposal to all city residents in the near future.
Councilman Elahu Gosney, D-at large, suggested that businesses be required to install detectors as well.
Although the city would not pay for the installation of the detectors, they would require all landlords to have them, Coon said.
Carbon monoxide leaks happen Gosney said. This is a proactive way to protect the city.
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Alex Stuckey
