Residents will have to find alternative means of recycling as Sylvan Township pulls out of regional authority
The Sylvan Township Board voted 3-1 Tuesday night to pull out of the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority, which will leave residents looking for alternative ways to recycle.
WWRA is preparing to move forward with a plan to switch the way it collects recycled materials from sorted items to a single-stream system similar to what’s available in Ann Arbor.
A change to single-stream recycling will cost about $3.2 million, which includes a new building and $1.7 million in equipment.
Sylvan Township residents are facing a large millage increase, perhaps between 4 and 5 mills per year for 20 years to pay for a lawsuit brought against it by developers and to cover bond payments for a sewer and water system built by the township.
Clerk LuAnn Koch and Trustee Reuben Lesser agreed that with the looming tax increase, they didn’t want to saddle residents with a new special assessment.
Currently, the WWRA is made up of eight local communities, Bridgewater, Dexter, Lima, Lyndon, Manchester and Sylvan townships as well as the Village of Manchester and the City of Chelsea.
With a new single-stream plan, current authority member communities were offered two types of membership — associate member or investing member. In 2012, associate members will pay $26 per household per year, which they’ve already been paying for last five years, but those members will lose a seat on the board.
Investing members will pay $24 per year per household, plus an additional $6.35 to pay for operations. This is expected to go into effect in 2013.
Investing members have a seat on the board and put full faith and credit behind a bond for the project.
Supervisor Bob Lange voted against the township pulling out of the authority and said, “This is not an inordinate amount of money to keep the township green,” but the remainder of the board did not agree.
“Twenty-six dollars for five years won’t break the bank,” Lange said.
There are two recycling bins located in the township, and Koch, who is the township’s representative to WWRA, said she thinks the bins will be removed in December once the township’s contract with the authority ends.
WWRA Chairman Frank Hammer said Lyndon, Dexter and Manchester townships and the City of Chelsea have voted to become investing members, while Bridgewater Township has voted to become an associate member.
The Village of Manchester pulled out of the authority earlier this year, citing projected increased costs for its curbside recycling pick-up service. It is seeking alternative options.
Hammer said he expects that the single-stream facility can be up and running by August of 2012.
Trustee Scott Cooper was absent from the meeting.
Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea area stories, visit our Chelsea page.
Comments
Susan
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.
I suppose we Sylvan township residents can still take our recycling to the landfill on Werkner Road. Or not?
clownfish
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 11:55 a.m.
This stinks! Recycling saves landfill space Recycling saves energy, you know the Drill Baby! Recycling helps keep the air and water clean, which reduces asthma related illness Recycling saves valuable resources by re-using already mined/processed materials Recycling creates jobs Lots of crying out there about job creation and use of foreign oil, this is the Whiners chance to put up or shut up.
ChelseaBob
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 10:28 a.m.
What I don't under is why the costs are going up. The value of recycled raw materials has tripled in past few years, to the point that people are stealing from recycling facilities to sell to scrap yards. So why are we going to pay more? Is the program being managed correctly?
American Family
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 2:02 a.m.
Not a problem. Burn what you can. Trash the rest. If the "feel good" group cares so much about that, rummage in a landfill and feel all warm and fuzzy (and stinky too) :)
leaguebus
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 9:13 p.m.
Sounds like the stuff that won't burn can be recycled into the ditches of the township roads. Good plan!
jcj
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
No problem in the burning barrel it goes!
Jack Etsweiler
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 9:26 p.m.
Last month I called the Sylvan Township Office to ask about burning in the Twp. I was directed to the Chelsea Area Fire Authority. It seems that you're going to have to get a permit to use that "burning barrel" of yours, or pay a hefty fine.
John B.
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.
How do we know it is worthwhile to recycle trash? To repeat what kmgeb200 said: "It's not burnt in peoples back yards creating a nasty, toxic stank (my neighbors), it's not tossed on the road side, its cheaper than filling the landfills (which we pay for going in and building more), and it's not being wasted by going into the landfills. Nobody wants a landfill nearby, hence NIMBY. Without recycling it still goes SOMEWHERE! Let me know if I can use your backyard if it's just a feel-good exercise?" Plus (my words): it's not going to end up in rivers or oceans if it's recycled (see: Japan, highly radioactive wastewater form Fukushima Daiichi, for example).
glenn thompson
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
In the case of Ann Arbor glass is carefully sorted, crushed at considerable expense and then sent to the land fill.
Will Warner
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 6:43 p.m.
Tell me again: How is it we know that recycling is more than a feel-good exercise?
Steve Pepple
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 11:12 a.m.
A comment containing a personal attack has been removed.
kmgeb2000
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 6:57 p.m.
It's not burnt in peoples back yards creating a nasty, toxic stank (my neighbors), it's not tossed on the road side, its cheaper than filling the landfills (which we pay for going in and building more), and it's not being wasted by going into the landfills. Nobody wants a landfill nearby, hence NIMBY. Without recycling it still goes SOMEWHERE! Let me know if I can use your backyard if it's just a feel-good exercise?