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Politics & Government

Chrin Wants Recycling Center Near Hugh Moore

But Easton council wants environmental committee to review plan first.

Chrin Brothers Inc. wants to put a recycling and composting center in the city.

But Easton City Council said Wednesday night it wants its Environmental Advisory Council to review plan first. Chrin wants to put the center at 860 Island Park Rd., within 900 feet of Hugh Moore Park.

In a letter to Mayor Sal Panto last month, the Williams Township company says this would be the first facility of its kind in the area.  The letter says Chrin plans to recycle household yard waste (such as tree branches and grass clippings) and food waste from "markets, schools, and food banks."

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The letter goes on to say that in the future, the center would also take in construction and demolition materials.

Vice-mayor El Warner told council the item should have been sent to the council's Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) for review in the first place, and that there wasn't enough time to make a recommendation.

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In a letter to Warner Tuesday, EAC Chairman William Dohe outlined concerns about the proposal, including the site's proximity to the Delaware Canal towpath. Dohe also wrote that Chrin should agree to limitations to the types of materials it plans to recycle.

Warner told council she was particularly concerned the agreement would allow types of waste other than those the city intends, such as slaughterhouse offal, instead of just organic garden matter, such as grass clippings.

Councilwoman Sandra Vulcano and Councilman Ken Brown also expressed concerns.

Panto said he always intended to remand the proposed resolution back to the EAC, adding, “I've got no problem with that.”

It is expected the resolution will put before the council again in May with the EAC's recommendations. City Clerk Tom Hess said the EAC meets Tuesday, May 3 at 5 p.m. at the Grand Eastonian.

In other business, council authorized a mailing to property owners in the proposed Downtown Neighborhood Improvement District notifying them of an upcoming June 8 hearing on the issue.

Introduced by Vulcano, she explained that the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) needed the city's permission to contact property owners , which would assess an additional millage to Downtown property taxes to pay for the district and fund the city's Main Street and city ambassadors program.

“Voting for this is not in any way approval of this program,” Vulcano said.

She added the public must be notified 30 days in advance of the hearing, and that was the reason

“My understanding is that they're mailing out the ,” Mayor Sal Panto said. “No one's seen that yet.”

But the council seemed surprised by an explanation from Donna Taggert, of the GEDP.

“We're pretty much asking you to provide the mailing,” she told the council. “The legislation requires that the 'municipal corporation' conduct the hearings.”

Some council members expressed surprise, saying they thought GEDP would be responsible.

“No, the municipal corporation,” Taggert said.

Despite the hearing, if 40 percent of property owners do not protest the law's implementation in writing within about two weeks thereafter, the law and tax will take effect without further input or discussion, and council will be required to approve it, she said.

Wednesday's meeting was held at the College Hill Presbyterian Church, part of an effort by council to visit other neighborhoods. Council meets again on Wednesday, May 11.

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