Commission wants to implement curbside pickup with cities’ help

By ADAM STEWART

News editor

After a pair of county-sponsored recycling programs fizzled out in recent years because of poor return on investment, Marion County is considering a recycling program on a larger scale.

Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt told county commissioners on Tuesday that he had investigated other options for recycling. A recycling center in Hutchinson would pay the county an amount based on commodity prices if the county delivered recycling to the center, he said.

Sending trailers to Hutchinson would take more time and fuel than sending them to the Butler County Landfill, but it would save $35 per ton in landfill fees. The main logistical problem would be keeping trash and recycling separate, but Schmidt said he could set aside certain days or business hours for recycling.

Commission Chairman Randy Dallke said if the county implemented a recycling program like that, he would want cities to pick up recycling like they do trash. The cities of Marion, Hillsboro, and Florence conduct their own trash pickup.

Commissioners agreed that recycling would work best as curbside pickup. They plan to arrange meetings with Marion, Hillsboro, and Florence city councils to discuss cooperating on recycling.

In other business:

• Marion County will be the first county in the state to allow agricultural lot splits without a road frontage, Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards said after the commission approved a recommendation from the Planning Commission. Lot splits without a road frontage will require approval by the Planning Commission and County Commission.
• Richards met with the commission in closed session for five minutes to discuss job performance. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Because of favorable claim ratios in recent years, the county’s health insurance premium with Blue Cross Blue Shield decreased about $47,000. The county pays the premium for a single policy for each full-time employee; employees may pay the difference for family coverage.
• Schmidt met with the commission in closed session for five minutes to discuss a new hire. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Robert Sellers will buy an unused trailer from Road and Bridge Department for $357.
• County Clerk Tina Spencer met with the commission in closed session for five minutes. On return to open session, the commission approved giving Cherry Miller 30 days to use 62.5 hours of vacation that were set to expire.
• The clerk’s office will purchase a scanner from CDW-G for $534.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Monday.