GARLAND — Recycling continues to create a conundrum for most of Sampson’s municipalities, and the town of Garland is no different. The southern Sampson County town is just the latest in a string of communities having to figure out the best course of action in handling the trash.

The issue has been weighing on the minds of many since the state mandate, effective Oct. 1, that requries certain items, including plastic bottles, no longer be tossed out with the trash.

So at Tuesday’s meeting, Garland mayor Anthony Johnson suggested his board consider allowing the town’s recycling to be picked up once a week rather than twice a month.

“I think the best idea is for us to keep recycling in our current containers and have it picked up once a week,” Johnson told the group.

The mayor said he came to this conclusion after meeting with town officials at Kure Beach who had been facing similar issues with recycling. He noted that the Kure Beach board had an issue with increased amounts of recycling that was waiting to be picked up twice a month, but once the town moved to once a week the issue was resolved.

As Johnson finished, public works director Don Wilson commented that he could collect bids for the pickup once a week.

The mayor then explained that when he spoke with other town leaders, they had advised against putting up a large recycling container in town as a possible solution.

While the town board did not vote on the mayor’s recommendation, Johnson did explain, “We will need to figure out what is going to work.”

Commissioner Elizabeth Johnson then asked, “Are we still picking up recycling twice a week?”

The mayor nodded his head in agreement and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

Commissioner S.J. Smith then asked, “How much does recycling pickup cost?”

Deputy clerk Kristie Kersey answered, “It costs two dollars per container.”

As the discussion finished, mayor Johnson stated, “Hopefully things will work out and it will put people on a consistent time frame.”

Well Head Protection Plan

In other discussion, Wilson and Kersey explained to the board that it was time to update the town’s current Well Head Protection Plan, which was created in 1998.

According to Kersey, the town currently has a plan in place to make sure that the town’s water is suitable for drinking and is not contaminated.

“It is to protect our water source, “said Kersey.

But before the town could update the plan, members had to either hold a public hearing or find a way for residents to provide input on how to make the water safer. No problems with the water supply were noted.

Again there was no vote, but mayor Johnson did suggest that the town hold a public hearing during the board’s next meeting for residents to provide their ideas.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.