July 17: Weekly Message from Mayor Madden
Victor Crowell Park
Some residents have expressed concern about the clearing of land by the Green Bridge at Victor Crowell Park. Robert Teutsch, Superintendent of Public Works, has reported and opined on the matter. This area was cleared to provide better access to the lake in order to remove overgrowth which also traps a lot of garbage and debris. We have just received bids to put four new aerators and a mixer in Lake Creighton (aka “the Duck Pond”) and the mixer, which will keep water moving, will be going in this area. By clearing this area, the health and vitality of the lake and surrounding eco system is maintained, helping to eliminate mosquitoes, poison ivy and invasive plant species. We are very proud that we are restoring the vitality and ecology of this park.
Bulk and Recycling News
The Borough did an assessment regarding bulk tonnage, both pick-up and drop off and its cost to the town, as well as recycling drop off. We have been expending an average of approximately $12,000 per quarter on bulk alone; recycling adds onto that cost.
Not counting Middlesex Borough’s recycling center, there are only 7 other municipalities that have recycling centers open to their residents. Of those 7 municipal facilities, we spoke with 5 of them about how they handle their bulk disposal and found that they either provide one or two bulk coupons annually, and one town does not allow bulk drop off at all. They also offer either one or no curbside pick-ups per year. No Middlesex municipality is given the option of purchasing additional coupons for bulk. Residents of the municipalities with no public recycling/bullk facility must contract with private haulers.
We felt that we wanted to offer additional options to our residents so we are considering an ordinance for additional bulk coupons at a cost of $50 each, which just barely covers the cost of labor and disposal of the amount someone could bring in the back of a pick up truck. There has been an ordinance in our town for several years that allows for additional curbside pick-ups at a cost of $150.00.
Please know that recycling is mandated by state law, but it costs every municipality money to adhere to this law. The days when recycling made money for a town are long gone. Recycling glass, yard waste, oil, and plastic offset by far the profit that is made in recycling newspaper, cardboard, aluminum and metal.
A decision has been made to tighten up the Recycling Center procedures:
Proof of residency and presentation of a bulk coupon is required for bulk disposal at our facility. There will be no exceptions.
This month there will be a special mailing to every residence which will include TWO bulk coupons and one leaf bag coupon. These coupons will run from August 1 thru July 31, 2021. They are only going to in-town residents who have the same property address as their mailing address. Landlords or tenants will have to contact the Tax Collector for their coupons.
We will continue to schedule one free curbside pickup per calendar year by appointment.
Effective Monday, October 5, the Recycling Center will be open on Tuesdays from 6 am to 1:45 pm, Thursdays from 11 am to 6:45 pm and Saturdays from 7 am to 2:45 pm. It will be closed on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. This allows our recycling staff to work uninterrupted and run the site more efficiently.
Covid-19 Statistics
The County is currently maintaining the most up-to-date stats for our area. Visit the Middlesex County website here to learn more.
Please be safe. Thank you.