HOPE — By the end of next month, in-town recycling will no longer be an option for Hope-area residents.
With reluctance, the Hope Town Council voted to have the recycling bins facing Maple St. in the parking lot of the town’s utility office removed by Jan. 31.
“I know this is a difficult decision from the council, but our budget just doesn’t allow this,” council president Ohmer Miller said.
When the community of 2,100 residents first placed the Best Way Disposal containers in the parking lot of the utility office in May 2019, the town was only paying $5,530 a year, town manager Jason Eckart said.
The following year, the price jumped to $12,640, Eckart said. It then increased to $18,525 in 2021 before rising to $24,214, the town manager said.
Last February, most council members said they had no choice but to remove the recycling bin due to the skyrocketing cost.
But in April, Eckart pointed out it had taken five years to get enough Hope residents recycling to the point where the dumpster had to be emptied four times a month.
“I’d hate to step back and get rid of it now,” Eckart said.
In May, the council voted to pay up to $24,000 from their Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) funds to keep the recycling container while Eckart sought out a long-term financial solution. While no such solution was found by August, Miller said he would give the town manager until December to find a permanent funding solution.
“I’ve looked for more grants and opportunities through private resources, and have found none that are an ongoing yearly grant,” Eckart told the council during their Dec. 19 meeting.
The northeast Bartholomew County community also considered obtaining a baler that could be used for cardboard recycling by the Hope Utilities Department, but there are not a sufficient number of employees available to take on the additional responsibility, Eckart said.
The town manager agreed with Hope Clerk-Treasurer Diane Burton, who said earlier this year that using EDIT funds to pay for the recycling container limits available funds for other necessary purchases.
“As much as I hate to, I would recommend that we remove the recycling dumpsters at the end of January,” Eckart told the council. “We will be urging residents to take their recyclables to the Petersville Convenience Station” at 11110 East 25th St.
With Ed Johnson making the motion and Herby Asher seconding, the motion was approved 5-0.
