The City of Aiken's effort to go more green moved forward Monday night with the passing of an agreement between the City and local business Dumpster Depot to collect recyclables.
City Council agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Dumpster Depot for receipt of recyclables collected by the Solid Waste Division of the City's Public Services Department. Instead of the City shipping recyclables to North Augusta for separation, Dumpster Depot will instead collect the items and separate them at the former Phelon building on University Parkway, now known as Fenix.
For the past few years, the City has used North Augusta's services, which could cost Aiken thousands of dollars per year in fuel and wear and tear on the vehicles, interim City Manager Roger LeDuc said.
When Dumspter Depot approached the City six months ago to offer the same services, LeDuc said he saw that as a much better financial situation.
Dumpster Depot owner Norman Dunagan said the partnership is "brand new money" coming into Aiken, not money being "passed around business to business."
"This money has been going to North Augusta, and they have been utilizing this money for the betterment of their community," Dunagan said. "This is the beginning of what we want to do with solid waste in the City of Aiken."
Dunagan thanked Council for taking up the agreement, also highlighting that Dumpster Depot plans on "doing this operation with opportunity employees."
"Employees that may be, people that may be at risk, especially around the surrounding neighborhoods," Dunagan said. "We got a program that we designed with Goodwill, also with the Megiddo Dream Station, where we're going to be hiring people that may be passed over by a lot of other companies. And you may think that's a risk, but I want you to know that our team is made up of a lot of these individuals already."
Although these employee positions are entry-level jobs, not a single employee at Dumpster Depot makes minimum wage, Dunagan said.
"We show people dignity by paying them more than minimum wage, and in return they give us the performance you just wouldn't believe," Dunagan said.
Dumpster Depot will process the recyclables for two years without paying the City for the materials, according to the agreement. After two years, the City and Dumpster Depot will sign an amended agreement to allow a profit-share of revenue received from the sale of recyclables.
Council members, including Dick Dewar, thanked Dunagan for his work, with Dewar calling it a "win-win."
In other business, Council unanimously voted on final reading to approve re-purposing several Capital Project Sales Tax funds.
Council also agreed to enter into a nearly $34,000 contract with W.R. Toole Engineers, of Augusta, for right-of-way acquisition services to construct an additional right turn lane from Dougherty Road onto Whiskey Road.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter.