District looking for ways to help

The Jay County Solid Waste Management District board would like to help a Dunkirk glass factory collect more recycled glass. Its members are still considering the best way to accomplish that goal.
The board tabled the topic at its meeting Monday after discussing several possible options.
District educator Bettie Jacobs informed the board that she learned Verallia accepts recycled glass from the public from 10 a.m. to noon each Wednesday and pays four cents per pound. The glass must be separated (clear and amber) and no metal can be included.
Board members brainstormed a variety of ideas for helping to promote recycling with Verallia, including the possibility of setting up a collection center at the JCSWMD headquarters at the intersection of Ind. 67 and county road 200 South. They also talked about hiring a part-time employee to collect bottles from local bars or working with a service group.
However, there were questions about what systems would be most feasible and if it would be cost effective.
Milo Miller Jr., the board president and a Jay County Commissioner, suggested running an advertisement as well as sending letters to local bars to try to promote the Verallia program.
“I think we need to try that first,” said board member and Dunkirk Mayor Dan Watson. “We need to see if there’s any interest out there.”
Watson, who said he would stay in contact with Verallia representatives, brought up the topic last month, saying the factory can use all of the recycled glass it can get. It currently gets most of its recycled glass from Michigan.
In other business, board members Jeanne Houchins, Bill Gibson, Jim Zimmerman, Faron Parr, Miller and Watson:
•Heard the educator’s report from Bettie Jacobs, who said she is booked to give demonstrations at local schools through the end of the year. She will also represent the district at the Jay County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo and the Jay County REMC Expo, both of which are scheduled for April 12.
•Asked financial administrator Freda Corwin to call Display Craft to get an estimate for fixing a broken sign at the district headquarters. An estimate to purchase and install a new sign was about $1,400, and board members felt a fix would likely be more cost-effective.
•Approved payment of claims totaling $12,403.47. The landfill brought in $19,308 in tipping fees in the last month, leaving the district with a total balance of $275,669.99.[[In-content Ad]]