By Dennis Volkert
Sturgis City Commission on Wednesday had a preliminary discussion regarding curbside recycling.
City manager Andrew Kuk provided an overview for the board.
In 2008, the city first entered into a five-year contract for curbside recycling with Borden Waste-Away .
Borden and the city extended the contract twice for additional five-year periods, with a third extension reached in 2021, to address overcharges. That most-recent agreement carries the contract through December 2025.
The city funds curbside recycling through an assessment of $2 per month on certain residential properties. The assessment is authorized by Public Act 69 of 2005 for waste reduction programs and collection of recycling or composting materials.
The state statute allows only a maximum assessment of $2 per month, or $25 annually, without voter approval.
Cost for curbside recycling began at $1.92 per parcel per month in the 2008 contract and increased to $1.97 with the extension in 2018. It will remain at that rate through the end of 2025.
Since the 2018 extension, the market for recycled materials has changed significantly and the expense to provide curbside collection has increased, Kuk said.
During a review of similar programs in the area in 2021, city staff found that it is possible cost-per-parcel could increase to at least $2.50 per month by 2023, and is unlikely to be less than that in 2025-26.
The city plans to gather RFPs from recycling service providers, then assess options. One possibility is seeking a ballot measure. Another would be to establish a drop-off site, similar to what was available prior to the current program.
Commissioner Linda Harrington is skeptical of that approach.
“Been there, done that,” she said at the meeting.
Another approach is to fund the service through the city’s general fund.
Mayor Frank Perez is among board members who want the service to continue in some form.
“I think it’s popular in the community,” Perez said. “Hopefully, we can come up with a happy medium.”
No timetable is established to make a formal decision on the matter, Kuk said. The first step is to explore what’s available.
