By By Leada DeVaney, Hartselle Enquirer
Curbside recycling in Hartselle has received at least a temporary reprieve.
Mayor Clif Knight said the city has negotiated a contract extension with BFI, its current curbside recycling provider.
The contract, which was scheduled to end in July, is currently being negotiated. Knight said the city might opt to extend it only for few months.
"We're looking at giving us some time to bid out the service to several interested parties," Knight said
The cost of the service would not increase.
Knight asked that people who want to continued curbside recycling call city hall and make their wishes known.
"We've had lots of calls and 99 to 1 are in favor of keeping the service," he said.
The changes come after the county opted to end its garbage service contract with BFI and sign with Morgan County Environmental Services. Environmental Services does not provide curbside recycling and Hartselle officials have worked to see if that service can be provided.
Hartselle's contract with BFI was scheduled to end July 13, with July 10 being the last day for curbside recycling pick-up.
According to Knight, the city is still negotiating with Decatur Mayor Lynn Fowler to use a portion of the funds generated by the Decatur/Morgan County Landfill to pay for curbside recycling.
"Then Environmental Services lost the market for their recyclables," Knight said. "Now they are having to haul them to the BFI recyclery in Huntsville and pay $40 per ton to dispose of them. This turn of events has those two entities (Decatur and Morgan County) thinking and talking about the investing in the equipment and technology needed to accommodate the whole garbage recycling at their landfill."
If that happens, Knight said, the city's recycling needs would be furnished at the landfill, as it was when the program began in 1993.
"When recycling began in Hartselle on Dec. 1, 1993, it was under a contract administered and awarded by the Morgan County Commission through the Regional Landfill budget at no cost to the city," Knight said.
In the meantime, the council has authorized City Administrator Ferrell Vest to solicit bids for curbside recycling.