Mayors back amending recycling-revolving fund to cover administrative and operational costs

After extended discussion about the labor and vehicle costs of running islandwide recycling events, members of the Mayor’s Council of Guam voted Oct. 2 to support amending the recycling revolving fund law to allow a portion of the fund to cover administrative and operational costs for mayoral offices. Speakers described routine hidden costs — fuel, staff time for paperwork and logistics, ink, copy paper and follow-up — and argued those costs make local implementation possible but impose a burden on mayoral offices.

Debate focused on methodology: some members suggested a percentage-based approach (10–20 percent of the fund) while others warned that a flat percentage might be inequitable because villages vary by distance to recycling centers and by volume of materials processed. The chair recommended approving the motion to support the legislative amendment first and to return later with a village-specific methodology to allocate any administrative share; the motion to support amendment passed by voice vote.

Members asked the executive director and central staff to develop an allocation approach that can be presented to the legislature if and when a draft amendment is prepared. No specific percentage or statutory text was adopted at the meeting; the action was a council endorsement to pursue a change in law.