No Robo-Recycling In Brick Afterall

Plans to to pick up recyclables didn't make the final cut in the 2011 capital improvement budget, Council President Brian DeLuca said this week.

The council approved a $6,517,500 capital budget for road improvements, sidewalks and curbs, bulkheads and dredging, among other items, but the plan to buy the automated trucks and issue each household in town a 95 gallon recycling can wasn't on the list.

Business Administrator Scott Pezarras said officials initially planned an $11.8 million capital budget, but nearly cut it in half during later discussions. Pezarras said the $6.5 million capital budget will allow the township to pay off $2.5 million in previous loans this year, putting the township in a better financial position.

"We pared it down to what we like to call the essential projects," Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis said. "Then we [administration] met with the council and pared it down some more."

The recycling plan didn't make the final cut, DeLuca said. But he reminded residents that single-stream recycling – the ability to put newspapers, cans and bottles, plastics and other items – all in one can, is already available.

As for the capital budget, officials are still working out the details as to which roads will be paved and which bulkheads will be replaced, but such matters should be decided in the near future. Officials agreed that the streamlined borrowing was best for the township.

"I think we did a great job cutting it down from where we started out," said Councilman Dominick Brando. "I think we got the number down pretty good."