Borden Waste-Away Service Inc. of Elkhart’s Eric Ivory presented on his company’s recycling service at the Mentone Town Council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Mentone Town Hall. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

MENTONE — Mentone is looking at recycling proposals.

The Mentone Town Council discussed that issue at its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7. It came up due to the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District deciding to remove all its collection containers from around the county, including Mentone, at the end of the year.

The district opted to do that due to high processing costs. Those came because people have been putting trash in them as well as recyclables.

Borden Waste-Away Service Inc. of Elkhart’s Eric Ivory presented at the meeting.

“We offer recycling services whether it could be cost-subscription services, so any town resident that would like to do recycling at the curbside, they can call in to our facilities, our offices, and set up (individually) … or the town could opt to do a … proposal where we can provide recycling services for every resident (at cost),” he said.

As an alternative, Town Council Member Tim Croy said he had reached out to Fulton County Recycling. If the entity agrees to come to town, it would provide large containers for residents to use just as they are doing now under the solid waste management district. There would be no cost for that.

“And you can’t abuse it like they did here, because the (cardboard container’s) a slit (where stuff may be put in),” said Town Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd.

Croy also said he contacted Apex Waste, the town’s trash collection provider.

“They don’t (do it) themselves,” he said, but the Apex owner’s son will check on another company.

K-County First

The council also heard about the K-County First initiative from Live Well Kosciusko President and CEO Lisa Harman and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputy Shaun Mudd.

Mudd serves on Live Well’s Community Well-being Committee, which came up with the program.

Previously discussed at the Kosciusko County Commissioners’ and Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety’s meetings, it’s meant to thank first responders for all they do for the community. Billboards have gone up in the county with appreciation messages for the responders, and the public is welcome to visit livewellkosciusko.org/kcounty-first to learn more about the program and submit thank-you videos for responders.

The Kosciusko Leadership Academy also was involved with K-County First, helping create a discount program as part of it. First responders will be getting cards to get a discount at a number of local retailers who’ve agreed to participate. Businesses can learn how to join the program by visiting the above webpage.

Posters on the program are going to fire departments and police departments around the county, with Harman and Mudd bringing one to Wednesday’s meeting.

In other business, the council:

• Heard from Town Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak her office phone hadn’t been working, but that’s now resolved.
• Heard from Shepherd regular leaf pickup was finished for the year, with employees having removed 52 loads. Leaves now should be contained for pickup, with Shepherd saying he prefers them put in cans or barrels, but bags are also OK.
• Heard a reminder that Apex will only pick up trash that’s in its containers with the lids able to be closed.
• Heard a thank you from Shepherd to Ace Hardware for helping put up the town’s Christmas decorations.

The council’s next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, at Mentone Town Hall.

Live Well Kosciusko President and CEO Lisa Harman, left, and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputy Shaun Mudd present on the K-County First first responder appreciation initiative at the meeting.