City Council to decide fate of new recycling center tonight

The Maricopa City Council may allow Right Away Disposal to take over the recycling needs for the city.

In tonight’s session, the council will also discuss an intergovernmental agreement between Pinal County and the city of Maricopa to let Right Away Disposal operate a recycling collection center and solid waste transfer station in Maricopa.

Use of the recycling center will allow the Apache Junction-based Right Away Disposal (RAD) to have a local presence in Maricopa. This has been needed since the city ended their contract with the Recycling Association of Maricopa in January. Since the contracted ended, Pinal County has been helping with the city’s recycling, but bringing RAD into the area could improve efficiency.

“Recycling is a priority for the city,” Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Paul Jepson said. “We love our town and we want to keep it beautiful. We are very grateful for Pinal County for covering the recycling in between contracts. If the contract is approved, Right Away Disposal will pick up recycling on Saturdays, and Pinal County has agreed to let us use the facility nearly cost free.”

The cost of the agreement with Pinal County is $1 per year. The city in turn will bring in RAD to run the facility, and the cost of those services is not to exceed $192,000 per year. The payments for the services would come from the city’s general fund.

“Right Away will provide the services, and the city will provide use of the site,” Jepson said. “There will be no residency requirement to use the facility either. Members of the community who live outside of Maricopa in areas such as Hidden Valley will be able to bring their recyclables to the center as well.”

The council action items include an ordinance amending the city of Maricopa zoning map to include a transportation overlay district for all property located within 150 feet of the right of way for State Route 238, SR 347, and the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway (within Maricopa city limits), as well as an ordinance amending the zoning map to include a mixed-use heritage overlay district for a portion of the property in the Heritage District.

The tentative 2015-16 budgets comes before the council as well.

The council may also improve a design and construction agreement for work needed to provide power to the new Public Works and Fire Maintenance Facility (along with the adjacent public safety communications tower) in the consent agenda. Funding for this agreement would have a total cost of $39,300. The money would come from the Highway User Revenue Fund ($34,400), and the general government Capital Improvement Program fund ($4,900).