A contract to add recycling service in the city of Marthasville has been finalized.

 Last week city residents began receiving a 95-gallon cart provided at no charge from Grace Hauling to store their recyclable items. The service, which will increase monthly trash collection bills by $4, begins Aug. 4.

Aldermen voted 3-0 to approve the trash collection contract with Grace Hauling, one month after deciding to proceed with the service.

Mayor Dale Verges said the contract was similar to others with the exception of the recycling service and is set to automatically renew when it expires May 31, 2011.

Once the service starts, residents will see their monthly trash collection bills jump to $14, a $4 increase from what they are paying now. 

The annual trash collection fee will be $48, a fee that amounts to less than $1 a week.

A $1 senior discount will be available for citizens 60 and older, though the $13 monthly fee will only be assessed upon a request from the resident.

Grace Hauling Owner Gary Schneider said his company has raised its rates only by 50 cents since contracting with the city in 2001.

Alderman Leo Tobben remarked that he encourages residents to take advantage of the recycling program.

“I’m all for it,” he said. “I also want to say, I’m very appreciative of Gary Schneider doing this for the seniors. It’s a nice gesture. His bill is only a small amount for taking care of trash for a whole month. That’s four pickups for $13. He drives by your house four times a month for $13 a month. To give a dollar away, I think he’s doing a heck of a gesture for our citizens.”

Currently, the monthly trash expense for residents is $10, of which $1 goes to the city for administrative purposes. Once the recycling service goes into effect, all residents would pay the $14 monthly fee, even if they elected to not participate in the program.

Recycling collection also would be held on Wednesdays, the same day as when the normal trash collection is held.

Residents are asked to rinse all items before placing them in the recycling cart, though they don’t need to be presorted. If the recycle cart is filled with solid waste, the cart will not be emptied. 

The cart should be placed on the curb by 6:30 a.m.

“It’s not mandatory recycling,” Mayor Dale Verges said. “Everyone will contribute financially, but that does not mean you have to be part of the recycling program.

Some of the recyclable materials that would be collected include aluminum cans, bottles, cereal boxes, milk jugs, newspapers, pie tins, empty aerosol cans and any product emblazoned with the recycle triangle emblem.

Some of the items that would not be accepted include ceramic, food waste, napkins, paper plates, paper towels, rubber products and Styrofoam.

For more information on the recycling service, residents can call Grace Hauling at 636-398-8060.