Representatives of several community groups that have worked with the City of Akron on exactly how a waste transfer station will operate in East Akron said they were generally pleased with the effort, but that a proposed agreement between WM and the city could still use some tweaks, particularly on the money side.
The agreement to set the terms and conditions related to the building and its operations includes:
- Environmental protections beyond the requirements of the Ohio EPA, including as the existing Fountain Street station in Middlebury that is replacing the new East Akron station is shut down.
- Provide $1 million (over 10 years) in monetary benefits from WM to the community in a first-of-its-kind arrangement.
- Set the terms for the rates the city will pay WM to take its garbage and recyclables to the station over the next 25 years.
Representatives of several community groups present at City Council’s Public Service, Public Utilities, & Green Committee meeting Monday said they were given the full 55-page document containing the proposal one hour before the committee meeting and did not have enough time to fully evaluate its terms.
What they were able to digest in the short time available sparked debate over whether the city secured enough benefits for neighborhoods near the Fountain Street station, built in the 1970s, and whether residents had meaningful time to participate in shaping the deal…