Although municipal officials want to encourage the community to recycle and compost as much as possible, they are making an effort to accommodate people who are struggling to make their garbage fit in the three-week rotation.
Council previously approved plans to make available starting some time this spring a courtesy, free-to-use compost drop-off at the municipality's shop for people who find their bins quickly filling up after doing some work around the yard, for example. The recycling centre additionally offers an alternative means for residents who run out of room in their blue bins to dispose of any accumulated excess of material free of charge, said Vic Pirie, director of finance and administration, during council's Feb. 27 meeting.
"With the garbage, there really was no backup," said Pirie.
So administrative staff began to brainstorm some ideas, and came up with a suggestion to provide residents who are running out of room in their black bins to buy a garbage bag from the municipality, he said.
"We have purchased some unique coloured garbage bags, so that (our contractor) will know they are in fact to pick them up because they've been paid for by the town residents."
For a fee, Sundre residents who run out of room in their black garbage bin before the next scheduled pickup will be able to buy a spare bag at the town's office for any additional refuse, he said.
"We're suggesting a fee of $4 a bag. This will allow those individuals who are having a unique activity ó let's say a family get-together and they generate a whole bunch of garbage in one week ó so they can come and buy a couple of garbage bags and have the garbage taken care of," said the administrator.
"But it will not encourage people to stop recycling and start using garbage bags as an alternative to recycling. That's why we set the price at $4 as a suggestion."
The recommended motion before council included approving the sale of uniquely coloured garbage bags at $4 plus GST as well as to incorporate that rate into the town's fee structure, he said.
Although council approved the proposed motion unanimously, Coun. Chris Vardas inquired whether the compost drop-off at the town shop will be open full-time to accommodate residents who cannot come by during regular weekday hours.
However, for the time being, Pirie said the enclosed location would be available at limited hours from Monday to Friday.
Coun. Verna McFadden also wondered if the compost drop-off would only be for the likes of grass clippings or other yard waste.
"Are we going to find people throwing other things in there, and then are we attracting the little skunks?" she asked.
When administration discussed the matter with staff at the town shop, no concerns were raised, said Pirie.
"It'll be enclosed, so yes there could be some critters that might take a liking to it, but we will be monitoring it," he said about the town's compost site.
"For now, we look at this as providing an alternative to the residents ó primarily with their grass clippings is what we're looking at, but again it's composting, so whatever you would put in a compost could go there."
In the longer term, the compost will ó once it's ready ó be used for various purposes, he said.
