Pocatello council approves commercial cardboard fee, OKs $646,642 remodel for recycling facility

Pocatello — The City Council approved a midyear amendment to the city's sanitation fee schedule to add fees for commercial cardboard pickup and authorized a guaranteed maximum price amendment of $646,642 for a partial remodel of the city's recycling facility.

Tom Kirkman, director of public services, told the council the action is the "first step" in establishing a commercial cardboard program the council has identified as a high priority. Kirkman said the city is not changing existing residential garbage fees but is adding charges to cover the cost of collecting commercial cardboard and single-stream material.

Kirkman explained the change followed the exit of two private operators that handled local recycling. "Western Recycling was the first; they decided it didn't fit their business model," he said, and when Republic Services later bought the facility they subsequently told the city they would not…