Committee members pressed staff to develop concrete strategies to raise Salina’s waste diversion rate from the current low level, exploring curbside recycling, neighborhood hub collection and outreach to businesses and residents.
A committee member asked staff to include a deliberate commitment in the annual plan to seek several strategies within the following year and to present measurable options at the December meeting so the committee can set targets.
Staff described previous work on curbside service and noted a prior plan to test a rear‑load curbside program that was paused when recycling economics became volatile. Staff said earlier modeling showed roughly $19 per month per customer under an 800‑customer model and cautioned that costs per household would be higher at lower participation levels and that adding a second truck would raise costs again.
Members discussed logistical constraints at the drive‑through collection center, noting limited driveway length, existing staff needs and the potential for traffic backups if participation increased dramatically. Staff recommended staff‑led analysis of feasibility, costs and measurable goals rather than committee members prescribing technical solutions.
The committee directed staff to return with options and suggested measures at the December meeting’s goal‑setting session; no formal policy change was adopted at this meeting.