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Politics & Government

Finale for Community Meetings on the New Recycling Center

The third and final public meeting on how to redesign El Cerrito's recycling center drew a small crowd and many questions.

About two dozen people with questions attended last night's final community meeting on how to redesign the city's popular recycling center.

City staff discussed the reasons, goals and process for rebuilding the facility recycling center as well as what will happen with recycling in the city in the interim. 

Melanie Mintz, the Environmental Services Division manager, and Garth Schultz, the city's environmental analyst answered questions and addressed concerns. 

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The Book Exchange, topic of heated discussion at the previous community meeting, was again a featured item. The city is seeking to develop a code of conduct, in large part to address complaints that people grabbing books for resale are exploiting the Book Exchange at the expense of people seeking books for personal enjoyment.

The Recycling Center has been operating since 1972, and city is seeking community input on improvements that can be made when it is rebuilt next year. There are safety concerns that need to be addresed, both for staff and the residents that use the center.

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From the community meetings, it has been evident that residents would like more materials to be accepted by the center. The new center also is expected to expand and organize the Book Exchange and possibly add other reuse items.

While this was the last of the planned community meetings, city staff members said they plan to keep the community informed and involved as planning moves forward. More information, including notes from past community meetings, is available at the Recycling Center project website. 

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