Minden questions recycling proposal

Minden board members want to know if residents would be interested in paying an extra $10 a month for a private company to pick up items for recycling.

Carson Valley Recycling owner Amber Emery and lawyer Evan Beavers asked the town Wednesday for a five-year agreement to operate the business in addition to the town's regular trash pickup service.

They presented the proposal to the Gardnerville Town Board on Tuesday.

Town board members asked for assurance that the arrangement was approved by the county's contracted trash collectors, Douglas Disposal, Inc. and South Tahoe Refuse.

"I want to see how we're doing the contract," said town board member Ross Chichester. "What happens when something doesn't get picked up? Who gets the phone call? They'll call the town of Minden."

Emery said she'd received clearance from the Douglas County District Attorney's Office, and the trash companies.

"I have been working on this for six or seven months to make sure I am not stepping on any toes before I started putting ideas together," she said.

She assured the board that she was in business for the long haul.

"I plan on this lasting for generations. You guys are not liable for anything," she said. "If the town gets a call, you can refer the caller to Carson Valley Recycling. We will try to alleviate all the headaches and work for you," she said.

A benefit to the town would be lower fees at the transfer station where the trash is dumped.

Residents, who pay $17 a month for trash pickup, would not be required to participate.

"I had one woman I talked to who said she spends more than $10 a month on gas taking recyclable to the dump," Emery said.

Emery would provide customers with plastic bags to separate glass, paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum for recycling.

The bags would be picked up twice a month, the same day of regular trash pickup.

Minden public works director Greg Hill said there could be clearance issues with the town's garbage containers and the bags.

"On windy days, what keeps the bags at the curb?" Hill asked. "I don't think these problems are insurmountable. I want to make sure residents know you are a private business. I think it's just a matter of education."

Until she has enough customers to warrant a garbage truck, Emery said she would use a pickup truck and trailer to collect and haul the recyclables to Sparks.

Chairman Bruce Jacobsen recommended that a questionnaire be included with residents' April billing to gauge their interest in the extra service.

The board asked Emery to return with a completed contract before they make a decision.