Set the goal, and work backward.
That’s how big decisions get made. Otherwise, the details can be overwhelming.
At Monday’s Iola Council meeting, Mayor Steve French said Iola needs to recycle its waste.
“Do we need to recycle? Absolutely,” he said, but then drifted off topic, letting the politics of working with county officials spoil the idea.
According to French, keeping local waste out of the landfill helps the county make money because it extends its lifetime. And the longer the county can accept out-of-county waste, the more profitable it is.
A side benefit of recycling — that it extends the landfill’s lifetime — would appear to most as a win-win.
French, however, called it “a double-edged sword.”
That sounds like sour grapes.
In terms of cost, we’re talking about a pittance.
Last week, county officials proposed they split the pay with the city for a part-time employee to oversee cardboard collection for a 90-day trial period.
Peek into the storage facility on East Street and you’ll see mountains of it.
Instead of accepting the partnership, Iola council members chose to chase its caveats.
What if the county expects the city to provide equipment?
After all, “it’s not like we have spare trucks lying around,” French said.
Other council members were equally disingenuous, suggesting the volunteers with Allen County Recycling, a nonprofit organization, apply for grants, tap local businesses for donations to handle their cardboard waste, or use inmates at the county jail to do the work.
