Lee County staff consider on-site recycling location; Franklin Grove pickups reported heavy use

County maintenance staff discussed recycling logistics and possible changes to pickup locations.

Eric said the Facilities Management Department sealed a new dumpster fence and hopes to restore at least one recycling bin to the Hennepin lot with staffed hours (proposed 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.) to reduce off-hours dumping. He said departments have expressed interest in an internal recycling program if a bin is available on-site.

Staff confirmed Franklin Grove has scheduled pickups on Wednesdays and that the site has been heavily used. Other county locations operate on a call-in pickup basis; providers collect when notified. Staff said Franklin Grove’s usage has increased compared with other sites but that they have not observed the same pattern of abuse reported previously in Dixon.

If the county cannot secure a municipal partner location, staff said they will consider testing a county-run site in the Fencedon area (the old garage/employee parking area). They discussed logistics including gate setup, truck loading/unloading, trailer storage and possible tight capacity if two containers are placed at the site. Staff said the trial could begin in spring with limited service hours to manage demand.

No final decision was made; staff said they will continue to evaluate options and report back to the board.