Dennis Eyes Recycling Changes

DENNISVILLE – At the Nov. 28 Dennis Township Committee meeting, Township Administrator Pat Moran discussed possible changes to the recycling pickup. 
The administrator has been researching shared services for recycling pick-up by a contractor. Presently the Public Works Department is responsible for collecting recycling and trash. 
Moran indicated that by switching to a contracted service, the township has the potential to save $12,000 to $35,000.
If pickups were to remain weekly, the township could save $25,000, and if pickups were every two weeks, the savings could be $35,000. During the public comment, one resident inquired what would happen to the workers that would be displaced by the potential change.
Moran said that the township has three employees that would soon be retiring and probably would not be replaced. After they retire some reorganization might be required, and that the displaced workers would be reassigned to other roles in the reorganized setting.
A second citizen commented about how trash pickup is handled for commercial entities. Currently, commercial business owners do not pay the township for trash pickup including bulk and recycling.
The person asked that if the township is considering changes that the committee looks into how other municipalities handle pickup of commercial trash. She told the committee that she felt that some commercial entities were abusing the system and were putting out commercial trash as residential trash.
If the township moves to a contractor for recycling then the commercial firms should be charged for recycling pickup and that they should no longer be allowed to get away with putting commercial trash in with residential trash.
She believes this could save the township some additional money. Moran told committee that he would continue to look into and study the feasibility of making changes to recycling pickups.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.