Recycling center put out for bids

BY STACI WILSON

Susquehanna County is looking to get out of the recycling business and turn over its center to a private company.

At the Feb. 26 meeting, the commissioners voted to advertise for bids for the “possible privatization” of the facility, located on Ellsworth Drive, just off SR 29 in Bridgewater Twp.

The move is based on recommendations made by a consultant, Nestor Resources Inc., hired last year to look into the feasibility of the county maintaining its recycling center, Commissioner MaryAnn Warren said.

Commissioner Michael Giangrieco said the county-owned and operated facility loses over $100,000 each year – and has cost the county nearly $1 million since it was built in the 1990s.

He said the decision to look for buyers came only after a lengthy study was done.

In February 2013, the commissioners approved a study to look into the possibility of privatizing the recycling center.

The commissioners cited equipment failures, building repairs, mounting financial losses and cuts in state funding as reasons to move the facility from public ownership.

The annual financial loss of $100,000, noted by Giangrieco on Wednesday, is substantially higher than the $60,000 per year loss Commissioner Alan Hall said the facility was losing on average each year of its operation.

At the time the county agreed to the feasibility study, both Hall and Giangrieco said they would be opposed to any fees being assessed to residents to use a privately operated recycling center in the county.

The commissioners said other counties in the region had privately run recycling centers and that some counties were looking at consolidating program efforts or at privatization.