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October 24, 2007
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Bonnie Prigge or Tammy Snodgrass, (573) 265-2993
Ozark Rivers District Awards $300,000 Worth Of Grants;
Auditor Delivers Clean Report
ST. JAMES—The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District awarded 15 grants, totaling 300,000, during its quarterly meeting Sept. 25, Chairman Scott Murrell announced. Fifteen grant requests, totaling over $360,000, were submitted.
Nine projects received full funding. They included:
- A request from the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District for district operations and implementation, $85,286;
- A request from the Phelps County Commission to continue the Phelps County Tough on Trash program, $14,720;
- A request from Resource Recovery Workshop of Cuba to purchase a forklift at Resource Recover Recycling Center, $7,500;
- A request from the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District to continue an environmental education program in area schools, $9,388;
- A request from Maries County to purchase a truck and continue its Clean Roads and Waterways program, $16,395;
- A request from the city of Rolla for a recycling exhibit to include a recycled picnic table, a recycling message board and information on composting, $2,000;
- A request from Enhancements Inc. of Potosi to improve their paper recycling program, $17,600;
- A request from Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District to continue special collections of appliances, waste tires and electronics waste, $29,160;
- A request to provide funding for the satellite household hazardous waste centers and disposal cost, $23,495;
Six projects received partial funding. They included:
- A request to continue the county waste tire programs submitted by Ozark Rivers, $12,000;
- A request to continue the illegal dump cleanup program, from ORSWMD, $31,215;
- A request from the solid waste district to continue its high school chemistry lab clean up program, $22,440;
- A request from the city of St. Robert for a shredder for its recycling center, $16,625;
- A request from Ozark Rivers to continue its surveillance camera program and update software, $3,126; and
- A request from Rolla High School to continue its Talkin’ Trash program, $9,050.
“We are thrilled that we were able to fund eligible requests to some degree,” said Murrell. “Our funding has increased and that means that we are able to offer expanded recycling opportunities in our district.”
The Ozark Rivers District is presenting the recommended projects to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for review. Once the DNR approves the projects and financial assistance agreements are in place, projects can begin and grant funds released. The tentative date for projects to begin is Jan. 1, 2008.
Ozark Rivers receives a base of $95,000 per year from the Missouri DNR to award as grants for local solid waste management projects. The funds are generated from tipping fees collected at landfills and transfer stations across the state. The district also receives a percentage of the tipping fees, based on population and the amount of trash actually landfilled in the region. The two operational landfills in the region are Prairie Valley near Cuba in Crawford County and IESI near Richwoods in Washington County. The district had $300,000 available for grants this year, including about $21,000 from reserves. This year’s total is up from $138,378 awarded to implementation projects last year. The district solicits grant proposals each August.
In other business, the district:
- Received and approved the annual audit report from Verkamp and Malone, of Rolla. Molly Malone, the auditor, reviewed the audit report with the Ozark Rivers board and delivered a clean opinion, the best an organization can receive. Malone said there was no management letter. “You run a very tight ship, and we appreciate that,” she told the board.
- Discussed its annual meeting, planned for Nov. 27 at MRPC. The group will highlight the year and recognize individuals and organizations that promote recycling, reuse and waste reduction.
The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. The district is charged with reducing by 40 percent the amount of waste generated for disposal. MRPC, a voluntary council of governments, provides staffing and administrative services for Ozark Rivers. Persons needing more information on solid waste issues may contact Tammy Snodgrass, district administrator, at (573) 265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org.
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