Council supports recycling return

The City of Portland is exploring the possibility of bringing back curbside recycling. 

Portland City Council voiced its support for reinstating a recycling ordinance for the city at its meeting Monday, requesting that Portland Board of Works seek out bids for the service.

Board members also heard reports from several of the city’s departments. 

Portland Board of Works voted in October to stop curbside recycling pickup because of the rising cost of the program. Council repealed the city’s recycling ordinance on Dec. 3 as a result of that decision, but two weeks later voted to draw up a new recycling ordinance and explore the possibility of bringing back the program. At the time, council member Kent McClung noted that the board of works did not have the authority to end the program and overrule an existing ordinance. 

On Monday, council reviewed the reworked ordinance written by city attorney Bill Hinkle. The only changes were removing tin and Styrofoam from the list of accepted materials and allowing the city to designate other materials as recyclable.

Remaining in the ordinance for now is a stipulation that recycling is mandatory for all Portland residents. Failure to recycle would result in a fine. 

Hinkle suggested that rather than voting on the ordinance, council should express its support for it and let the board of works continue to gather information. 

“I think the council could pass a motion indicating that you favor this ordinance and that you want to refer it to the board of works for further information on cost and contract,” Hinkle said. 

Council agreed, giving the board of works two months to report back with bids. Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman said he had restarted talks with several recycling companies, including Rumpke. The city had signed a three-year contract with Rumpke in August before ending the program. 

Also on Monday, council heard reports from city department heads about their plans for the coming year. 

Portland Police Department Chief Nathan Springer told council he will focus on getting a succession plan in place for the department this year, as he anticipates that five officers will retire in 2020. Other areas of concern are school safety and community policing. 

Plans for 2019 for the wastewater treatment plant include sticking to a 10-month compliance period at the plant, which begins in February. The plant can have no violations, superintendent Brad Clayton said. Employees will also work on clearing catch basins and sewer lines, along with a few other small projects. 

As for the street department, superintendent Tom Leonhard told the board he’s preparing for construction related to the Community Crossings Matching Grants the city received from Indiana Department of Transportation. He’s also prepping a list of city streets for the next round of applications. 

The street department, which takes care of trash pickup in the city, will need new vehicles soon, he said. It’s getting hard to find parts for them as they get older. 

“The one thing that we would like is two new trash trucks, somehow,” Leonhard said. “We had over $20,000 in repairs this year just on the two trash trucks.” 

In other business, council members Janet Powers, Bill Gibson, Judy Aker, Michele Brewster, Don Gillespie and McClung, absent Judy Hedges:

•Were updated on the sale of the Sheller-Globe building at 510 S. Bridge St. Portland Board of Works received four bids for the property and this month selected a $50,000 bid from John Goodhew of Goodhew Roofing and Metals. Because the bid amount was less than the appraised value of the building — $52,163 — council must hold a public hearing before voting on the bid. Other bids were from Hopkins Global LLC for $80,500, $60,500 from TJ’s Concrete and Excavation, and $60,000 from TJ’s Bicycle & Mopeds Sales. 

•Heard the State of the City address, which is scheduled for Jan. 29, has been moved from IU Health Jay to the Lions Club Civic Center, 307 E. 100 North, Portland. 

•Paid Jones and Henry $19,381 for continued work on the wastewater treatment plant improvements, which Clayton said was between 90 and 95 percent done. 

•Re-elected Gibson as council president. 

•Paid claims of $1,472,006.47.