Taylor Lake Village may try curbside recycling

Curbside recycling could be coming to Taylor Lake Village in January.
But for it to happen, City Council must first approve sending out a one-time $25 bill to each home in the city to pay for the service. It will consider doing such during its Dec. 2 meeting.
If approved, the city would pay the approximately $40,000 annual expense for curbside recycling up front out of the city $100,000 annual contingency fund, Mayor Natalie O'Neill said. All recyclable materials except for glass would be collected on Tuesdays starting Jan. 5, she said.
Bins would also be provided to all residents for the pick up of recyclables, O'Neill said. But even if the city issues the one-time $25 bill, it would not pursue those who do not pay it, she said.
This will determine how many people are going to participate," O'Neill said. It's hard to get a real feel for it."
If curbside recycling is implemented and there is strong participation, City Council would next year consider including the expense in the city's 2010-11 budget, O'Neill said.
I don't want to have a tax increase in order to have recycling," she said. A lot of people objected to that in the past."
The city tried curbside recycling 15 years ago, but dropped it after participation declined from 95 families to less than a dozen, O'Neill said. Back then, she said she was one of those who paid $3.71 quarterly for the service, she said.
Currently, there are recycle containers at the city's G.W. Robinson Elementary School, but there have been issues with items such as water heaters and drywall being deposited, O'Neill said.
Before it decides whether to move forward with curbside recycling, City Council wants to hear the opinions of its residents. She encouraged them to call City Hall or e-mail City Council members.
We're looking for feedback," O'Neill said.
O'Neill is unsure if City Council will approve curbside recycling, but said she supports it.
This is the right thing to do and we ought to give it another try," she said.