At long last, it looks like midtown will get a recycling center.
This morning, the City Council's Finance and Audit Committee unanimously approved $225,000 for the operation of the city's three recycling drop-off centers and a new one-year operating contract with Bridging the Gap, the nonprofit collector of KC's recyclables. The city also has a commitment from Bridging the Gap to construct the fourth facility in midtown.
"It's been some time since we had a proper midtown site," said Phelps Murdock, Bridging the Gap's CEO. "Not only are we going forward with a curb location, we're working to create at that site the first sustainability center."
The sustainability center will conduct classes and seminars aimed at improving less than stellar participation in the city program, saving homeowners money and fostering a stronger connection between residents and their refuse and recyclables, he said. It's sort of an expanded version of the Five Green Things from Bridging the Gap's Web site.
Murdock said he couldn't tell the committee the site location just yet,
as he couldn't enter into contract with a builder until the City
Council formally approves the cash (it'll be on tomorrow's consent
agenda), but he's got a site picked out.
He said he hopes to have the facility built by October and said the
structure could look like a couple of 40-foot containers retrofitted
with windows, composting toilets and such. You know, green. But he
still needs to raise about $200,000 for design and construction of the
facility, which he said he hopes to raise through grants, corporate
sponsorship and private donations.
The $225,000 brings the city's total drop-off center related expenses
to $375,000. The Finance and Audit Committee seemed pleased to
have this done. "We've been working on this a long time," said Council member Deb Hermann, the committee's chairwoman. "I think we could all be
listed as co-sponsors on this bill."
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