Pay as you throw coming to W. Lafayette

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The West Lafayette city council wants citizen input to refine the metered trash concept before fully adopting the idea.

Many spoke about the pay as you throw concept at a public hearing before the West Lafayette City Council. Several wanted to throw away the idea.

"I would prefer to pay a higher fee and extra if I have to but this ordinance does not encourage recycling," said Ray DeCarlo.

Others thought there was no reason to discard a good idea.

"I would like to see a more equitable distribution of payment covering the trash in the New Chauncey neighborhood. Every spring rental contracts roll over I see mounds of trash in alley," said Thomas Kessler.

There was much debate between council members and lots of input from the public. The council passed the pay as you throw ordinance four to three. Then immediately decided to table it until March 2010 so the city and community could sift through the plan and decide what to keep and what to pitch. Many at the meeting on both sides of the issue expressed a desire to see the concept reduced, reused and recycled.

"I don't want it to be complicated," said DeCarlo.

"I could see some improvement based on what I heard," said Kessler.

The city plans to research the idea and get community groups involved in reworking the ordinance before it arrives on curbside trash bins.

"There's a lot of ambiguity. A lot of issues need more specific application and we need more public input," explained Mayor John Dennis.

Cleaning up the ordinance and dumping what doesn't work won't be an easy task, but city wants to develop a plan won't be trashed by the public when it comes up for a final vote in the spring.

The council also held a public hearing on the city's budget. It comes in at about $18 million. That's about $545,000 more than last year. Mayor Dennis said he expects tax rates to remain flat. The council will vote on the budget October 29.