FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, December 17, 2010
MAYOR HENRY SIGNS ORDINANCE REDUCING GARBAGE, RECYCLING FEE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - At a time when fees and prices seem to be increasing across the country, Mayor Tom Henry was able to lower the fees Fort Wayne residents pay for garbage and recycling in 2011.
Today Mayor Henry signed the ordinance setting the garbage recycling rate to $11.00 per month per household. This is a reduction of $.24 per month from the current year.
“Times are tough and it’s difficult for cities to find ways to keep costs in check,” said Mayor Henry. “Not only did Fort Wayne manage to avoid increasing the rate citizens will pay to recycle, we actually will see a reduction in the rate while improving services. This achievement is due in large part to the efforts of the solid waste contract committee, a group made up of neighborhood association representatives, City Council members and Public Works staff members.”
In January, Mayor Henry appointed a committee to study the collection process and determine the details of the contract. The committee met publicly for more than six months to complete the task.
“Mayor Henry’s unusual step to make the committee’s work entirely public with open meetings throughout the process resulted in competitive bids and a lower rate,” said Tim Giardina of Gershman, Brinker & Bratton Solid Waste Management Consultants.
National Serv All won the seven-year contract for the City’s garbage and recycling contracts.
Even more beneficial to the City is the new contract offers one-cart recycling, which is believed to encourage an increased participation in the program. The new contract also has a profit-sharing component, a first for the City. Under the terms, the City will receive 50 percent of the profits from the recycling product. That could result in a profit of $150,000 dollars if recycling participation remains at its current 34 percent participation rate. But that figure is expected to increase under the new One Cart system.
Already, 42 percent of the City’s households have signed up for the one-bin option, and that number continues to grow. Residents are reminded to reserve their carts in one of three ways: sign up online at www.RecycleFortWayne.org, return the postcard they should have received in the mail or call 311.
While many cities are facing the tough task of reducing services, such as snow plowing or turning off street lights, Mayor Henry remains committed to providing high quality services and maintaining a balanced budget.
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