Approximately 100 residents attended the Town of Leland’s first Town Hall-style meeting on Tuesday, March 3.
Town staff presented a presentation to the audience with challenges and options involved with making budget decisions on yard waste disposal, recycling, and roadside litter, as well as potential costs involved with those options. Residents then had the opportunity to speak to staff and Council members in attendance about these issues to express any concerns, share ideas, and ask questions.
A number of residents said they would like to have curbside vegetative yard waste collection within the Town following the closure of the Town’s yard waste disposal convenience site off Lanvale Road in January, even if it meant a slightly higher tax rate in the 2020-21 fiscal year to offset those costs. Others expressed interest in a similar Town-owned and -operated yard waste disposal convenience site supported by a reasonable fee.
Members of the audience also supported a combination of community and Town efforts to beautify area roadways. Staff explained its efforts to work with the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), which owns and is responsible for maintaining the major thoroughfares in Leland. The Town explained it would help facilitate a NCDOT-sponsored Litter Sweep on April 18. Details regarding that volunteer event are listed below in this newsletter.
Town staff and audience members discussed the challenges of recycling locally, around the country and internationally, and reviewed residents’ options for recycling in the event the Town discontinues its recycling program beginning July 1, 2020. There appeared to be mixed opinions on continuing or discontinuing town-wide, taxpayer-funded recycling.
The Town plans to hold these informal public meetings quarterly. The next Town Hall-style meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 at 6:00 PM. More information regarding any specific discussion topics will be announced closer to the meeting date.