1. The City of Kokomo purchased recycling totes one year ago and they are currently stored in Kokomo.
2. The city says the delay in curbside is because they can't find a recycling company to serve Kokomo.
3. The city also says curbside can't be launched because the current green bins are located in the community. Howard County Recycling Department (HCRD) announced this week they would be removing the 9 bins located in the city.
4. HCRD committed $400,000 from their anticipated savings toward the curbside program when it was launched. The commitment is/was $200,000 when launched then $50,000/yr for the subsequent 4yrs. Also, earmarked is $50,000/yr to Greentown and Russiaville for similar programs if established, from the same anticipated savings.
5. The $200,000 is off the table if curbside recycling is not launched by 8/1.

In 2009, there were about 9,000 curbside recycling programs in the United States, according to Keep America Beautiful.  Municipalities large and small figured out how to make recycling in their community happen over the last 3 decades.  Our city is great, why can't we figure it out? Drastic measures are necessary to curb the landfill and trash issues that the United States faces.

Mayor Greg Goodnight needs to hear that this is a priority in our community.  Stop the politics.  Stop the fighting.  Just figure it out, like 9000 other cities around our country.  Otherwise, our legacy for our future generations will be that they are watching our plastic bottles decompose in a landfill for the next 450 years.