The cost of recycling will increase even more next year in Allegan County and the Martin Township Board Wednesday evening agreed to up its contribution from $36 to $40 per household per year.
All participating townships and municipalities now pay $36 per household per year, but Allegan County Resource Recovery is warning of the price hike. Martin’s proposed $40 at this point is only a suggestion in reply to a survey.
They (county officials) are saying that ($36) is not enough, it could go as high as $50,” explained Township Treasurer Sue Tiemeyer. “We were all right (in budgeting $36 locally), but that was not enough for the program to recovers its costs.”
She said some other townships recycled a lot more and therefore costs are higher.
Martin Township has the second lowest tonnage of annual recyclable materials among participating municipalities in the county at 52 tons, eclipsing only Hopkins Township. Meanwhile, Leighton Township contributed between 189 and 190 tons.
Tiemeyer added, “It may come to a point where the whole county program may have to shut down if it becomes too expensive.”
She said between 500 and 600 people in Martin Township take part in the monthly curbside service and nearly everyone is pleased with the program.
The county had a ballot proposal in the 2016 election that enabled participating municipalities to increase their surcharges from $25 to $36 annually per household and those that voted it down would have to pick up the added costs themselves from their general budgets. Most approved the proposal.
But because of the added costs for curbside and depot services, the county may go to a 10-year surcharge with a maximum of $50.
Nothing has been decided yet, but it is expected that those who want to continue recycling will have to pay more.
In other business Wednesday night, the Township Board:
• Decided to have the Allegan County Road Commission seek bids on reconstructing 122nd Avenue from 10th Street east to 7th Street, perhaps as early as the fall of next year.
Tiemeyer said the township now has $822,000 in its road fund and it could grow past one million dollars next summer.
The other possible project in the near future would be Sixth Street from 114th to 112th Avenues.
“We’re trying to get away from dust control,” observed Supervisor Glenn Leep.
• Approved a request for a fireworks permit for U.S.-131 Motor Sports Park for Aug. 10, the start of the raceway’s “Funny Cars” celebration.
• Learned from County Commissioner Rick Cain that Allegan County services such as Circuit Court, District Court, Sheriff’s Department, Drain Commission and the county jail are maxing out with activity and demands.
Cain said the jail is full now, but that problem can be rectified.
“People can’t afford to bond out,” said Cain, a retired lieutenant with the sheriff’s department. “Bonding is a racket, not because of the county, but the bondsmen..
• Was given a first-hand look at two new pieces of fire-fighting equipment, a chimney snuffer and a piercing nozzle, purchased by Chief Earl Wykstra, using money set aside by the memorial fund established in honor of former Township Trustee Jim Brenner.