Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The first expired drug collection, conducted by the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District, yielded 264.5 pounds of bad medicine.
Executive director Sue Studebaker considered the May program a success with collections taking place at various senior citizen centers and the KC Depot. Eighty-four pounds of cough syrup, aspirin and other drugs were gathered from Warsaw schools, an area Studebaker hopes to capitalize on next year, she said during the board of directors meeting Tuesday.
There was disappointment, though, when she contacted the Kosciusko Community Hospital and discovered the health care facility preferred to flush controlled substances down the toilet.
"KCH is still flushing," she said. "They schedule a state pharmacist who comes to watch them flush. I'd like to keep that stuff out of the water system."
A sheriff's deputy stood by at each facility to keep controlled substances under lock and key. Each item was counted and identified. The drugs will be taken to a "super incinerator" in St. Louis, Mo., for destruction.
The board reviewed a preliminary budget for 2004, reflecting the recently approved revenue increase of $80,000.
Salaries and wages were given as $55,810 with benefits given as $7,020. Other personnel services were $6,000 for the controller and $1,000 for temporary employment.
Supplies were $7,360; legal services, $4,400; communications and transportation, $5,220; printing and advertising, $2,400; insurance $10,000; and utilities, $4,400.
Recycling service costs were given as $130,000, and repairs to the nine stations as $2,000.
Other services and charges were for education, $12,000; shoe recycling, $500; household hazardous waste, $15,000; and tire recycling, $4,000.
A $25,000 debt for the building will be indicated on a separate budget.
In other business, the board:
• Heard that Studebaker was elected to the IRC board of directors.
• Reviewed host agreement income, showing an $8,000 decrease compared to 2002. The revenue is generated from per-ton fees delivered to the county landfill outside Packerton. Last year's totals through May were given as $59,563.82. This year's first five months brought in $51,580.30.
• Heard recycling tonnage at the stations is way up. Studebaker said she expected less material to be collected since Warsaw began its curbside recycling program, however, the opposite has occured.
• Approved a HHW grant application in the amount of $5,000.
KCSWMD board of directors are: David Delp, Ron Truex, George Clemens, Avis Gunter, John Kinsey, Brad Jackson and Ernie Wiggins.
