Black Mountain approves grant for recycling carts

Town to offer two size options, supports single-use plastic ban

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
September 14, 2023

The Black Mountain Town Council voted unanimously, Sept. 11, to approve a financial agreement for a grant that will subsidize the purchase of recycling carts for all residents. Photo by Fred McCormick

Black Mountain residents will receive recycling carts, following a 4-0 vote by the town council, Sept. 11, approving a $116,000 grant through the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. 

The funding will subsidize the cost of around 5,000 Toter two-wheel cans, as the town will pay an additional $218,000 to purchase the containers, which will be delivered to all households within the town limits. Residents will have the option of receiving a 64- or 96-gallon receptacle.

Mayor Mike Sobol opened the town council’s regular monthly meeting by asking the public to support councilmember Bill Christy, who was not in attendance. 

“As we take a moment of silence, I’d like for everyone to remember board member Bill Christy, who is in intensive care,” Sobol said, as the council observed a moment of silence. “I hope your thoughts and prayers will be with him.”

The board resumed a discussion for its August meeting, as the town’s Waste Reduction Specialist Rechelle Ray presented an NCDEQ Financial Assistance Agreement for the proposal. The agenda item was continued when the town council directed staff to conduct a survey of residents. 

“We received 93 responses and there were mixed results, which was to be expected,” she said. “Some people felt strongly, and others were indifferent or expressed concerns.”

Ray advised the council that the town would be in compliance with the grant contract if it chose to offer residents the option to choose a 64- or 96-gallon container, however the funding could only be used in the purchase of the latter. 

“We will have to purchase any smaller carts on our own,” she said, adding that the larger carts were approximately $62 each, while the 64-gallon receptacles were priced at $51. The town will be reimbursed around $15 per 96-gallon cart through the grant program.

Sobol advocated for a third option. 

“Half of the citizens in this town don’t need anything more than just a tub,” he said. “I’ve talked to a few people, not that many, but some who have said if we don’t offer a smaller size they will have to stop recycling. I think the offering of a papa bear, momma bear and baby bear is the best way to get more people to recycle, and that’s the goal.”

Using larger cans would better facilitate the town’s bi-weekly recycling collection schedule while eliminating the use of blue recycling bags, according to Ray. 

Councilmember Doug Hay said there is “widespread support” for the carts in town, based on his personal conversations with residents. 

“But, there was less support for them being universally 96 gallons,” he said. “I’m glad to hear we can still receive grant support for some of the bins, and similarly to last month, I’m still in support moving towards the Toters, but I also support providing options for size.”

Councilmember Pam King cited sanitation staff safety as a driver of the initiative.

“One of the reasons we considered this whole thing was the safety and health of our staff, because the trucks can do the heavy lifting,” she said. “I just can’t visualize the efficiency of having a combination system where some people have the green bins they carry and others have the blue Toters. We have to get rid of the blue bags, that’s for sure.”

The town will utilize around $225,000 of former American Rescue Plan Act funding to pay for its share of the expense, Town Manager Josh Harrold told the council.

“We have about $450,000 of that money that has yet to be appropriated,” he said.

Residents will receive index cards in an upcoming water bill, allowing them to select a 64- or 96-gallon cart. The town also plans to create an online form, accessible from its website.

“Our default is the 96-gallon cart, and if someone wants to opt for 64, they can do it,” King said. “At some point, we have to say here’s the deadline, and on this date we won’t pick up anything in blue bags.”

Hay motioned to approve the grant agreement, while expressing interest in allowing residents with bear-proof recycling bins to retain them. The financial agreement was approved unanimously by the board.

Single-use plastics were the topic of a later discussion, as a resolution encouraging the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to adopt an ordinance banning plastic shopping bags and Styrofoam takeout containers. As presented, the document was identical to a resolution passed by the Town of Woodfin in August, but Town of Black Mountain Attorney Craig Justus expressed concerns over the language.

“It is somewhat unique whenever you say another governmental entity can come enforce their ordinances within your jurisdiction,” he told the town council. “Looking at (N.C, General Statute), it denotes this body can adopt a resolution that allows the county to come into its jurisdiction and enforce an ordinance. The way I read it is that the ordinance has to exist, and you can’t defer to your attorney to allow it to come in when it doesn’t. I don’t think that’s legal.”

Several residents and non-residents spoke in support of the resolution during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“The things that were said tonight are certainly laudable goals, but the county hasn’t adopted an ordinance and may never adopt an ordinance,” Justus said. “They may adopt an ordinance that, at the end of the day, may make no sense to you, or impose sanctions that are questionable to you.”

Anna Alsobrook, watershed and policy manager for MountainTrue, the environmental and conservation organization calling on the Buncombe County Commission to “take action to protect the public and the environment from plastic pollution,” is seeking support from surrounding municipalities.

“What we’re trying to shy away from is what happened with the mask mandate,” she said. “We don’t want the Town of Black Mountain to do one thing, while the City of Asheville does something else and Weaverville does its own thing. That’s really confusing for businesses and residents.”

The proposal MountainTrue presented to Black Mountain, she added, was intended to establish uniformity throughout the region.

“The proposed ordinance we brought to Buncombe County includes a grace period of six to 12 months, and that’s for a few reasons,” she said. “It allows us to educate businesses on what the transition looks like and how it may impact them. It also gives them time to go through existing stocks of supplies and source alternative materials.”

Vice Mayor Archie Pertiller, Jr. agreed with the town attorney’s assessment of proposal.

“I would feel comfortable re-writing number 1,” Pertiller said, referring to a clause that would automatically adopt any single-use plastics ordinance approved by the county. “I do not feel comfortable with it, written as it is.”

The council replaced the language presented to indicate the town’s support for the ordinance presented to the county by MountainTrue. The board voted 4-0 to approve the amended resolution.