PEORIA - The question on where recycling materials belong in older neighborhoods of the city may get settled at a special meeting of the Peoria City Council on Tuesday.

The PDC garbage contract that went into effect this year doubled the number of recycling pickups per month, but that increase came with a change in venue: garbage carts would be picked up at the curb — not in the alley.

That didn’t sit well in some older neighborhoods, where people were used to having garbage, yard waste and recycling picked up in the alley. Some complained to their council representatives. Some like C.J. Summers of the Uplands Residential Association came to City Hall and addressed the council.

City Manager Patrick Urich huddled with PDC officials to find a solution and came up with the three recycling options that council members will review Tuesday: revert to monthly service in older neighborhoods for alley pickups (while the rest of the city gets curbside service every two weeks); add $210,000 to the PDC contract and pick up every two weeks in the alleys; or, thirdly, find what contract changes can be found to offset the additional cost.

The $210,000 represents the cost of the additional service required if alleys are served, said Matt Coulter, PDC vice president. “It’s the salary of the operator and the service time required,” he said.

“The alley is not designed for the garbage truck of today. It takes a lot more to maneuver in the alley,” said Coulter, adding that trucks purchased by PDC with automated arms operate more efficiently on curbside routes.

PDC spokesman Eric Shangraw said the average time it takes a truck with an automated arm to make a pickup of a canister curbside is 15 seconds. “In the alley, the average time per pick-up is between 45 seconds and one minute,” he said.

PDC officials believe the council consensus will lead to reverting to once-a-month recycling service in the alleys. “That looks to be the most likely option. It won’t cost any more,” said Coulter.

“We’ve heard that at neighborhood meeting where people said just put (recycling) back the way it was,” he said.

Second District Councilman Chuck Grayeb said he opposes one set of rules for older neighborhoods and another for the rest of the city. “Under no circumstances will I acquiesce to older neighborhoods being taken advantage of,” he said.

As for PDC’s prediction that once-a-month alley service will return, Grayeb said, “They’ve miscalculated grossly.”

The council meeting set for the Gateway Building will also include a policy session on tax increment financing districts.

Courtesy : www.pjstar.com