River Forest residents will be allowed to split the use of a compost cart and related costs with a neighbor following action by the village board July 8.
Officials voted unanimously to support the recommendation of the sustainability commission to offer compost cart sharing. Under the plan, the cost of the cart would be split equally by two households. In response to a question by Trustee Respicio Vazquez, officials said the option will not be available to more than two households at a time.
The goal of allowing cart splitting is to increase participation in the village composting program to gain support for the eventual conversion of the program to require residents to opt-out if they do not want to participate. Now, residents who want to participate are required to opt-in.
In a memo to Matt Walsh, village administrator, Seth Jansen, management analyst, explained that such a program already exists in Oak Park. Preliminary internal staff discussions indicated the splitting of billing would not pose many barriers to implementation, he said.
“However, a process will need to be developed for identifying households who currently share or wish to share,” Jansen said in the memo. “This process will need to include a form or mechanism by which both households agree to split the cost.”
Jansen said commissioners cited the need to raise awareness of the composting program by providing residents with information on backyard composting and promoting the compost drop-off carts location at Village Hall.
He also said commissioners raised several concerns during discussion of the issue at their May 14 and June 11 meetings including anticipating potential questions from residents about the program and residents not using carts correctly.
“We want to involve more residents,” said outgoing commission co-chair Eric Simon. “We need to increase education and this is taking it another step.”
Noting there are “a lot of pieces,” Trustee Katie Brennan said she supported the need for increased education.
In response to a question from Trustee Erika Bachner, Walsh said the village’s contract with Lakeshore Recycling Services does not expire until 2027, but allows village officials to conduct negotiations regarding composting.
In supporting cart sharing, Cathy Adduci, village president, called it “a great place to start.”
Simon’s attendance at the July 8 meeting was his last after he submitted his resignation. He will be replaced as co-chair by current commissioner Gary Lennon. Susan Charrette will remain as the other co-chair. To fill the vacancies created by the resignations of Simon and Jill Drury, Benjamin Kadlec and Manolo Avalos were appointed. Avalos had been serving as the student representative on the board, a non-voting position.Walsh said applications are being accepted for the vacant student commissioner position with the hope of filling it by the fall. Drury resigned in the spring.