McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Local News

June 29, 2009

Pride group plans meeting to discuss recycling options

By James Beaty

Recycling in McAlester on a city-wide scale is kind of like the weather, to paraphrase Will Rogers.

Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it.

A group of McAlester residents hope to see that change with an organizational meeting this week. Ward 3 City Councilor John Browne and Pride in McAlester are hosting the meeting, set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the former Sewell Jewelry building at 113 N. First St. in downtown McAlester.

“What we’re doing is information-gathering to find out what resources we have in the city to do this, what agencies are interested and how to get started,” Browne said.

Pride in McAlester Chairman J. T. Collier is also enthused about the meting.

“It’s the kick-off thing to get our recycling effort organized,” Collier said.

“I’m hoping people from various interested groups will be there. I think we’re going to concentrate on a game plan that will possibly establish some goals.”

Those who are working on the recycling effort are open to ideas and suggestions about how to make it work. One possibility is a public/private partnership, Browne suggested.

“As for my being a city councilman, it’s got my full support behind it,” Browne said.

Browne would like to eventually see several results from a recycling effort in McAlester.

“My dream and goal would be curbside recycling for the city,” he said.

In addition to the usual benefits of recycling, it could also reduce the amount of garbage going into the city’s rapidly filling landfill. The city has already been notified by the state Department of Environmental Quality that the DEQ projects the landfill will be full sooner than expected.

Another hope is to provide profit for a non-profit organization, Browne said.

Not only interested city residents, but individuals from companies and groups already involved in recycling are expected to attend the event.

“There will be representatives from Green Star Recycling and Recycle Oklahoma,” Browne said. Members of local groups and organizations, such as the Parents Club and KI BOIS Community plan to attend the organizational meeting.

The Ward 3 councilor said he’s keeping a commitment to his constituents by pushing the recycling effort.

“When I was running for office, that was part of my platform,” Browne said. Since he’s been in office, he’s often talked to city residents about recycling, Browne said.

It’s not just the younger city residents who are interested in going green, Browne noted.

“A lot of senior citizens have been the most vocal about it,” he said.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

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