By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Board members of the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District learned about a recycling contract increase with Whitley Environmental during a March 16 meeting.

Steve Smith, Whitley Environmental president, was at the meeting to discuss the increase with the district. He said the cost index for the recycling district’s volume increased by 1.77%.

“The price of everything is up,” said Smith about the increase.

Ganser also gave an update on the district’s educational and outreach coordinator position. He said Suzanne Stokes, whose resignation from the position was announced at the district’s February meeting, is working part-time to help with social media posts. Ganser said he plans to post the education position online in late April or early May.

The district also hired a new household hazardous waste member for the recycling depot’s back room.

“We’re also working on keeping everything clean around here,” said Ganser, noting the recent high winds have affected cleanliness at the sites. “It’s been a running race. I am going to start taking community service people…we need to walk tracks and get out to the other sites to deep clean, especially Syracuse.”

Ganser told the board he applied for a grant through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The grant would help the depot advertise and educate on the district’s HHW program. He said IDEM has until the end of March to make a decision on approving the grant for the depot.

He also said he’d like to reopen the recycling district’s reuse room on May 1 depending on if COVID-19 numbers continue their downward trend.

The board’s next meeting is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 27.