Recycling district board of directors holds Nov. meeting

The Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Recycling District Board of Directors approved a motion at the Nov. 3 meeting for the yard waste host site block grants to include the following: The district will stay within the $150,000 proposed annual grant awards. It was noted expenses have increased 43% since 2022, hauling rates increased 20% and volume of collections increased 60%.

Executive Director David Held gave an update on area landfills. He said the American Landfill 10-year settlement agreement expired in May 2023 and was extended for an additional five years, Countywide Landfill has a new operation manager in Mark Pytlik and Kimble Landfill has a new municipal sales manager in Shana Simmons.

The board also did the following:

—Adopted the 2024 appropriation budget for $4.1 million in all funds. The district has eliminated the outreach coordinator position from the budget.

—Heard the tipping fee revenue was down 2.99% in 2023 from 2022. The report is through August 2023. Based on the first eight months of the year, it is projected an annual tipping fee revenue total will be about $3.5 million.

—Learned the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Community and Litter Grant applications were available to be submitted, and the deadline to apply is Dec. 1. If a grant is awarded, it will be announced April 1, 2024.

—Heard the Newcomerstown recycling site has received a new cleanup truck. Held said trash is deposited at the site on the weekends and it is impossible to keep track of it; however, the trash is cleaned up immediately. Tuscarawas County commissioner Chris Abbuhl asked if there are cameras at the site. Held said not at this site.

—Held an executive session to discuss the collective bargaining agreements with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local #93. The current contract was in effect from Nov. 1, 2020, to Oct. 31, 2023. The district employs eight full-time drivers/operators and four part-time drivers/operators. No action was taken.

Other information

The 10-year solid waste plan is updated every three years. The next planning period will begin September 2024. The policy committee, which has seven members from each of the three counties, will meet Jan. 19 at the district office to begin discussions about the solid waste plan.

The board of directors will meet Jan. 5 at 9:30 a.m. at 9918 Wilkshire Blvd. NE in Bolivar.