The city council decided to keep glass in the regular waste system as an interim plan until a cost-effective bottle-to-bottle recycling plan is worked out. Mayor Paulekas and the council members made this decision Tuesday evening during a work session meeting when the Department of Public Works asked for direction on a glass recycling plan.
The Director of Public Works, Earl Smith, presented options available for glass disposal and recycling.
“We want policy direction from the council of where we want to go,” said Smith.
Smith presented five options to council: 1. Keeping glass in the waste system. 2. Diverting the glass away from the waste system and possibly stockpiling it. 3. Reuse the glass at the landfill for daily cover material. 4. “The Full Program” of bottle-to-bottle recycling. 5. Subsidize ARK.
Smith went through the cost of each option with the council. The fifth option proved unviable and ARK was uninterested. Smith said the least expensive option is to keep glass in the waste system and that this will cost virtually nothing. Option four meets the criteria wanted from a certain sector of the community at an annual cost of $8,000.
“When you look at the cost of recycling they’re really not that unreasonable,” said Paulekas. “If all the parties come together in our community, I think we can work out something reasonable.”
Paulekas said he is in favor of recycling, but does not want the $8,000 bill being paid by the 8,000 single families that currently make use of the regular trash facilities. Paulekas wants to take some time to figure out if a buy-in option is available that includes The University of Wyoming, WyoTech, and commercial businesses.
At the end of a two-hour discussion, the council members directed the Department of Public Works to the first option. The council decided to keep the glass in the regular trash system on an interim basis. This way there can be more time to come up with a recycling option that includes help from everyone involved, said Paulekas.
“We should continue what we’re doing and buy some time to talk to other entities,” said council member Joe Vitale.
Also, a special meeting during the work session meeting including the council to approve the incorporation and bylaws of the Laramie Economic Development Corporation and the Laramie Chamber of Commerce took place.
The two entities will be joining to form the Laramie Business Alliance. The board for the alliance plans to have nine members and continue to help retail businesses in Laramie to network, said CEO and President of the Laramie Business Alliance, Dan Furphy.
“I am confident this is going to work as long as we have the strong leadership Dan Furphy has provided,” said council member Joe Shumway.
