Clearwater is considering setting up a central recycling site.

 

At the last city council meeting, Administrator Kevin Kress presented the idea. He said staff had been discussing the issue periodically over the last couple of years.

 

“A number of cities have both recycling and garbage in central locations  throughout the community,” said Kress. “The idea is that if you put these in place, you see less trash in the right of way, less trash in the parks. Does it always work? No. Is it a big push to try to clean up the community? Sure. There’s pros and cons to it either way.”

 

Kress said Maplewood has something similar. But There isn’t a specific way different cities deal with the issue.

 

“The idea is, rather than have a cleanup day, you do this instead, so people can get rid of the majority of things,” he said.

 

But he said not everyone would follow the rules.

 

“There are still people who will throw stuff in the right of way and keep stuff in their yard and just not take advantage of it,” he said.

 

Kress said he hasn’t done any research on the cost or whether any vendors would place a dumpster, or multiple dumpsters in the city.

 

“We wanted to see if there was any interest from the council before we explore with some of the vendors,” he said.

 

Currently, most Clearwater residents have their trash picked up by Advanced Disposal. Recycling is picked up every other week.

 

Mayor Andrea Lawrence said she would rather see weekly recycling because some people have overflowing bins, especially with cardboard.

 

Councilman Richard Petty said he was in favor of a recycling site.

 

“People tend to throw some stuff that should be recycled in the garbage  because the recycling (container) is full and they don’t want it laying around,” he said. “Maybe it’s cardboard only, but I like the recycling side of it. I’m not in favor of the garbage side of it.”

 

Councilman Wayne Kruchten said his biggest concerns were cost and abuse. He felt the city should send out information to residents about proper recycling.

 

Kress said if they decided to move ahead, the city could recover the cost as a fee on utility bills.

 

“Everybody has the option to use it,” he said. It’s no different than streetlights or stormwater.”

 

Councilman Kris Crandall said he knows from experience that some people will throw anything in a dumpster.

 

“I think you’re going to find a fair amount of garbage gets pitched in the recycling bin either way,” he said.

 

Councilman Vern Scott asked Kress to do some research on what other cities do, but the council’s consensus was to look into a recycling site.

 

Kress said he’d do some research, contact vendors and bring the information back to the council.