Recycling service will look a little different in Annandale come December.
City residents will soon receive rolling carts similar to their current garbage cans from West Central Sanitation to replace the smaller red recycling bins currently in use.
The matter has been discussed by the council for some time at the request of a few residents, but it took time to work out the necessary price adjustments with West Central as a result of the change.
Residents will likely see a $1 increase in their monthly recycling rate for next year to account for the change, and the city agreed to extend its contract with the company from the current three years to seven years total, with an average inflationary increase of 1.5 percent per year in cost.
The new carts will likely be delivered on Thursday, Dec. 8, and Tuesday, Dec. 13, during regular garbage and recycling collection. Residents who currently have their garbage and recycling picked up on Wednesday will have their pick-up day changed to Tuesdays to accommodate West Central’s scheduling needs.
West Central will deliver 65-gallon carts for recycling initially, but residents who want smaller or larger containers can adjust to 35-gallon or 95-gallon options later. The bins currently provided to city residents are 21 gallons in size, and do not have a lid.
Councilor Corey Czycalla said he supported the change. He added that the price increase was reasonable.
"I think it’s a good idea because anybody who has had to chase down a milk carton or a bottle or paper or whatever – having a lid, especially when it’s raining, I think a lot of people will think that’s a good idea," he said.
City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp said that larger, more convenient containers might encourage people to recycle more. Anyone looking to avoid a price increase next year, she said, could consider adding more items to recycling rather than the garbage and be able to downsize their garbage container to obtain a cheaper rate.
"I think it will be a good addition to the service that we’re able to offer the residents," she said. "We’re not getting a huge push from them to do this, but we know over time it’s going to become more. I think we’re the only city in Wright County that (has bins instead of carts), and both townships around us (have carts)."
Jeff Bertram of West Central said the change would benefit both the city and his company.
"It’s going to be more efficient for us. It’s going to look better for you," he said. "It really does make the town look cleaner, more consistent. You’re not going to see milk jugs or pop bottles blowing around on people’s lawns or in the streets. It’s going to be a lot cleaner look for the community."
Bertram said that it was the city’s decision what would happen to the bins. They could be picked up by the company, or turned into the city, he suggested, or residents could keep them and put them to other uses.
West Central will mail a letter to city residents notifying them of the change, and aside from the rate increase is handling the expense of making the transition.
"We’re incurring the cost of ordering the carts, maintaining the carts, delivering the carts and mailing the letter," said Bertram. "The city is not going to incur any additional cost."
Council members approved the proposal for the change, but an official contract will need to be approved during the council’s meeting in November.
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