Mayors reject recycling issue

The issue of a lack of a local recycling program was raised again at the Regional Board of Mayors meeting Monday afternoon.

Raising the issue was Gayle Swagerty, mayor pro-tem of Coulee Dam, who was filling in for Mayor Greg Wilder who is recovering from a stroke.

She read from the mayors’ contract with Sunrise Disposal that recycling was part of the agreement. Swagerty it had come up at one of her town’s meetings.

The mayors have had similar discussions before and explained that the economy of scale wouldn’t permit recycling beyond corrugated cardboard. The basic costs of recycling other products couldn’t be recovered because of volume or pricing, Swagerty was told.

Randy Gumm, manager of the transfer station, explained that recycling isn’t free. “Someone has to pay for it,” he said. Usually, that comes in the form of higher garbage rates.

Some individuals do recycle and most drop the products off at recycling stations in other communities. Many drop items off at the Lincoln County Transfer Station where drop boxes are located.

Swagerty asked why the recycling issue was included in the agreement if nothing was going to be done on it.