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Joe Keyport

Pine City School Board Tables Recycling Center Vote


The Pine City Public School Board has tabled a vote to allow a test recycling center to operate from the former Car Truck City lot.

The decision to postpone the vote came after a presentation by Pine County Commissioner Steve Chaffee and Land and Resource Manager Caleb Anderson so board members could have more time to discuss the proposal and address concerns.

Many of those concerns raised by school faculty and board members stem from the potential increase in traffic around the school.

"I think that transportation, traffic issues, and congestion would be a major concern. I don't know when one would do it," said board member Candice Ames.

Ames went on to discuss the high rate of traffic during the morning before school began and in the afternoon when school is let out.

Superintendent Annette Freiheit made a point to mention the construction of the Highway 7 and Highway 70 bridges over I-35 that would increase traffic near the school during the summer months.

Pine City School's Building and Ground Supervisor Scott Miller also raised concerns over parking since the school uses the lot for overflow parking and the general maintenance of the area.

Miller said, "The big one [concern] is we have graduation, and we will need that parking lot because we don't have that much parking space."

To remedy this issue, the county offered to move the equipment that would be placed in the lot so graduation attendees could park in the space.

The location would only be a temporary site that Pine County would use to see how many of the area's residents would use the center.

During the presentation, Anderson told the board that the recycling center would be based on the program that the county set up in Willow River which has a policy that states if community members abuse the service, it will be closed down.

If implemented, the center would replace the sheds used as a drop off location. It would be gated with an employee on duty during drop-off hours.

Once a site is chosen, the county would go before Pine City's Planning Commission to have a public forum before a permit is given and the program can move forward.


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