By John TGredrea, Special Writer
The City Council took another step Monday night toward implementing a food waste recycling program that city officials say can make the city more environmentally friendly while saving money.
Passed unanimously by the Council was a resolution authorizing insertion of $10,000, received as a grant through Sustainable Jersey, into the municipal budget. The money will be used to fund the pilot recycling program.
Formed in 2009, Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward communities as they pursue sustainability programs.
Food waste, including bones, paper plates, cardboard that has food on it, napkins, paper towels and leftover food currently is put in with household trash. After collecting it, the city takes that trash to a landfill.
”It costs us $75 a ton to send trash to the landfill,” the mayor said. “If we can recycle food waste instead of sending it to the landfill, it’d be a more environmentally-friendly practice that we expect would save us significant money as well.”
The resurfacing of York Street, from Clinton to Main streets, can be done under another resolution passed by Council Monday night. That resolution authorizes a contract with Top Line Construction for the work. Under the contract, the maximum amount Top Line can be paid for the job is $105,417.
The council also introduced two ordinances that pertain to the parking. Both ordinances are expected to be scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote at the council’s December meeting.
Under one of the proposed ordinances, parking meters would be removed from South Union Street, from Ferry Street traveling south. Under the other proposal, residents of Ferry Street, between Union and Main streets, would be allowed to park in the metered lot of the town library if they purchased a residential parking permit.

