WS Chronicle

BY TODD LUCK 

THE CHRONICLE

Forsyth County commissioners voted to move forward in negotiating with its current garbage contractors to provide universal recycling and garbage service in the incorporated areas of the county on Monday, Feb. 13.

There was, however, some conflict on the language in the resolution.

Commissioner Richard Linville felt its wording meant the county was committing to the universal service.

“I can’t support that at this time without further information,” said Linville.

The resolution authorized the “County Manager and his designee to negotiate necessary terms” for universal garbage and recycling service with the three companies the county currently uses for curbside garbage pickup. It said the commissioners were “considering the provision” of universal service but “will base its decision on the outcome of the negotiation.”

With a motion, Linville changed the language to read that the commissioners “authorize the County Manager to collect information” on universal service. The resolution passed 5-2 with both Walter Marshall and Everette Witherspoon voting in opposition. Both have long supported universal service and believed the more cautious language would mean a setback to it starting.

After the vote, Commissioners Dave Plyler and Don Martin said they did not believe the change in language would delay the universal service.

The county still plans to negotiate terms and rates with Rural Garbage Service, ABC Garbage Service and Waste Management to begin mandatory, universal combined garbage and recycling service for the 25,842 unincorporated households in the county on July 1. The charge for the new service will appear as a fee on those households’ tax bills and is expected to be less than $15 per month.

The three companies are currently under con-tract with the county to provide garbage pickup, which is currently a subscription service, until 2018.  There’s an urgency to start the new service, since subscription recycling service ended Dec. 31. The commissioners and county staff have been inundated with calls asking for curbside recycling to return.