Clearing up misstatements about the recycling budget
To the Editor:
I would like to clear up a couple of incorrect statements that were made at Town Meeting on April 30, which caused incorrect impressions on Wareham residents.
In an attempt to find funds to help the town’s ongoing budget shortfall, a former Selectman proposed that the recycling budget ($5,000) be eliminated. Misstatements were made to justify this.
First, the statement was made that the recycling “revolving fund” contained $50,000, so therefore the town should not fund a recycling budget.
Nothing is further from the truth. We do have a revolving fund, which is built from donations in the form of redeemable cans and bottles, etc., and other donations. It is not now nor has it ever been money from the town taxpayers. The $50,000 is our fund “cap."
Furthermore, the balance in that fund is $2,307.
Since it costs $11,000 to run the center yearly, you can see that recycling has a serious deficit. The townspeople at the meeting had the wisdom to approve the budget, which will keep our drop-off center running for a few more months. However, the impression was left that recycling had the $50,000 which is incorrect.
The former Selectman also stated that since there were no paid employees in recycling, no money was needed. While it is true that volunteers staff the center, there is a recycling coordinator paid as an independent contractor. This position (which I have held for more than four years) provides the required interaction with outside agencies, i.e. Mass. DEP, SEMASS, and other towns.
In addition, this position tracks and reports Wareham’s solid waste and recyclables handling, and recruits and schedules responsible volunteers for the center. I also create the information for the Annual Town Report and other related duties. There is a need to fund this position, which is done partly from the town budget.
While the motive for proposing the elimination of the recycling budget was probably well-intentioned, misinformation is not acceptable.
Marilyn Russell
Recycling Coordinator