Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District board members met Tuesday, June 11 and reviewed tentative budget plans for 2020.

WARSAW — For recycling items to flow inward, communication to the masses has to disseminate outward.

It’s that approach — improving public education — that Kosciusko County Recycling Depot Director Tom Ganser hopes to embrace a little more in 2020.

Ganser is looking at upgrading the district’s website to make it more user-friendly and provide visitors with more information that is easy to access. Right now, he’s not sure if that means a simple tweak or a major overhaul to the website

The current website provides information ranging from programs and education, but he said the format of the website, which he describes as “cookie cutter” which means visitors much comb through a lot of information to sometimes find what they want..

Ganser said he unsure whether the changes would involve a major overhaul or a few small tweaks. A decision on any changes will likely be based on what is most cost-effective. Right now, he said he’s looking at what could be done and who could assist with such a project.

Ganser also told the board he wants to do a mass mailing next year to about 6,000 householders to help promote certain programs.

“Education is everything,” Ganser said. “We get people here weekly who walk in our door and say, ‘I didn’t even know you were here.'”

The board also got a preliminary glimpse at finances that will shape the 2020 budget.

While figures may still change, the board is looking at a roughly16-percent hike in its budget because of declining prices in the recycling markets and costs to receive household hazardous waste.

The district has a healthy reserve fund that officials can rely on in the short term to shore up a budget shortfall, but could also consider hiking the solid waste tax rate, which has been at the bare minimum for years.

Board member Brad Jackson suggested they wait a year before looking at the idea of adjusting the tax rate.

The board is expected to review the budget plan next month before sending its recommendation to the Kosciusko County Council.