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PARKERSBURG - Members of Parkersburg City Council are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the final reading of an ordinance making changes to the municipal recycling program to comply with a July court ruling.
The first reading passed on a 6-3 vote at the Aug. 25 council meeting after amendments were made to reflect requests by the plaintiff in the lawsuit that prompted the ruling. The ruling stated, in part, that the city's subscription-based recycling program implemented in May did not comply with state code because it charged individuals more to participate.
If the ordinance goes into effect, it would change the system implemented in May under which $1.50 from every residence's $21-a-month sanitation fee goes to a recycling surcharge and those who want a container to place recyclable materials in and have them picked up pay an additional $3. To comply with the declaratory judgment from Wood County Circuit Court Judge J.D. Beane, all residents will be charged $3 a month for recycling, cart or no cart.
That's based on the city paying contractor Rumpke Waste and Recycling $15.25 a month per cart and another 1,000 customers participating in addition to the approximately 1,400 already doing so. If more people recycle, the cost would have to increase, officials have said.
Part of the discussion at the last meeting dealt with the removal of a penalty clause that would have fined people $50 a month for not complying with the ordinance. That leaves an existing penalty of up to $500, but Mayor Tom Joyce said he has no intention of levying fines on people for not recycling.
The lawsuit that led to the order was filed last year after the city suspended curbside recycling due to manpower issues. It is separate from the ongoing legal battle over efforts to force council to repeal an ordinance approving a trash collection contract with Waste Management or put the question before voters. Petitioners exceeded the required number of signatures for the referendum, but city officials have argued the ordinance is not subject to referendum because it deals with the appropriation of money.
Also on final reading is an ordinance authorizing financing for the Parkersburg Utility Board's planned $25,746,000 project to install a filtration system to remove forever chemicals from its water. The ordinance relates to an expected $5 million from the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health’s Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund, although up to $12 million in principal-forgiveness loan funding is authorized in case there are overruns.
The rest of the funding consists of $17,771,200 in settlement funds from Chemours, the company which was spun off from DuPont and now owns the Washington Works where forever chemicals were used in the Teflon-manufacturing process; $2 million in grant funds from the State Economic Enhancement Grant Program; and $974,800 from the PUB itself.
Another ordinance on final reading would establish cumulative bulk and area standards for accessory structures.
On first reading is an ordinance vacating a portion of Seventh Street between Juliana and Ann streets, with the property reverting to the city's Urban Renewal Authority. The move is part of WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center's planned $150 million expansion with a new east tower.
Council is also set to receive and file the annual reports for the police and firefighter pension funds.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.