District to pay bonuses

Despite lingering concerns over long-range budget issues, board members of the county's solid waste district agreed to hand out year-end incentive payments and bonuses to the groups that staff drop-off recycling sites.

Saying that recycling is central to the mission of the Jay County Solid Waste District, a total of $9,055 in incentive payments and $610.60 in bonuses were paid to the 29 groups that staffed recycling sites in 2009.

The single-county district, which was formed in the early 2000s, has seen declining revenue and rising expenses over the past year, and board members have expressed their concerns frequently in recent months.

But those concerns didn't override the boost that recycling efforts get from the payments and not-for-profit groups.

Over the past few years, groups have received a year-end payment based on a formula of one cent for each pound of recyclable material collected over the year, plus a bonus of one-half cent for each pound increase from the previous year.

"This is one thing that motivates the clubs," said board member Faron Parr in advocating for continuing the incentive payments.

The Saturday drop-off recycling program, the district's largest and most visible effort to promote recycling, pays groups $125 for each day worked - totaling more than $40,000 per year. The cost to haul those recycled materials away is the district's biggest single budget item.

"It would be my recommendation to give something to the groups ... and judiciously spread our money around," district director Kay Hayes said during the discussion. "I'd rather see us try to do something (in the way of bonus payments), even if it's a token amount."

Board members Bill Gibson, Milo Miller Jr., Jim Zimmerman, Dan Orr and Parr agreed, voting 5-0 to pay both the incentive and bonus amounts.

The addition of several new groups to the lineup redistributed collections in 2009. Only nine of the 29 groups increased totals and were eligible for the one-half cent bonus.

Judan Judo Club had both the highest overall total (147,400 pounds) and largest increase (74,360) for a total payment of $1,836.

Bloomfield Elementary PTO, which has had the highest collection total for several years, saw its total fall by more than 50 percent but still collected 137,940 pounds for a payment of $1,379.40.

Bryant Community Center, a new group, had the third-highest total for 2009 at 124,160 pounds ($1,241).

Also Monday, the board voted to approve a 3 percent increase in pay for Hayes and administrative assistant Jill Hall. The increases had been approved as part of the district's 2010 budget in September, but approval of a salary resolution is required under Indiana Code.

Orr, a member of the Jay County Council, noted that county employees will not be receiving a pay raise in the coming year. Those employees are receiving an increase in the amount contributed by the county for health insurance.

Although the waste district is not a county agency and Hall and Hayes are not county employees, Orr pondered whether the raises were equitable.

"It's sort of a quasi-county employment status. I'd like to hear from board members how they think (a raise is) going to play in the eyes of other county employees. I'm not opposed to it; I think it needs to be on the table," Orr said.

Hayes pointed out that the district is not funded by tax dollars but by a tipping fee imposed on trash deposited in the Jay County Landfill. She also said she voluntarily declined a pay raise for 2009. Hayes, who has served about 16 years with the former Mideast Indiana Solid Waste District and with the single-county district, did ask the board to consider additional vacation time for her if it rescinded the 3 percent raise.

But board members agreed to grant the increase, raising Hayes' pay to more than $33,000 and Hall's to $24,605.

In other business Monday, board members:

•Agreed to discuss at the January board meeting raising the district tipping fee to $1.50 per ton from its current level of $1.25 per ton. That per ton fee, which generates more than $200,000 per year, was lowered several years ago at the urging of landfill operator Waste Management of Indiana Inc.

Waste Management had said the lower tipping fee would help the company be competitive in landing dumping contracts.

But board members said that in the face of slumping income, an increase in the fee must be considered.

•Approved a district holiday schedule for 2009 that matches that of the county.

•Heard Hayes say that due to declining volume, she is considering proposing that only one recycling trailer per month be offered in Pennville and Redkey. Hayes said she would like to continue the two per-month schedule through June, then re-evaluate. Hayes said she is reluctant to cut back because it could impact the amount of material recycled in those communities.

•Approved claims totaling $18,363.69, leaving the district with a checking account balance of $28,710.29. The district's investment account totals $102,532.94.

November income for the waste district was $14,625.

•Heard Orr question whether individual pick-up loads deposited in the Jay County Landfill are counted towards the tonnage total used for the district's tipping fee income. Trash brought into the landfill in pick-ups is not weighed, but those dumping pay a flat fee.[[In-content Ad]]