Free yard waste

 Kate Bouey - CASTANET Dec 10, 2015 / 5:00 am 

It's a green thumbs up for gardeners from the board of the North Okanagan Regional District. Starting in 2016, it will be free year-round to take all those grass cuttings and tree branches to both Vernon and Armstrong Spallumcheen recycling and disposal facilities. However, to offset the loss in revenue, there will be a $3.00 per tonne increase in general garbage waste delivered to the landfill sites. Not everyone was in favour of the changes. Electoral Area 'C' director Mike Macnabb argued against the changes until it was clear how the lost revenue would be made up. “$120,000 is not to be sniffed at and a $3.00 a tonne charge may not be the best way of doing this,” Macnabb told the board. “We should think a bit more before we go ahead.” “If we don't have volume why are we doing this?” Macnabb asked. Staff told directors that landfill sites in Vernon, Armstrong and Lumby received 10,000 tonnes of yard waste in a year, about 5,000 tonnes dropped off during 'free' periods. Directors were told commercial garden waste, from landscapers and garden waste companies, would still have to pay fees. The $3.00 added charge on garbage will take effect July 1, 2016 and cover $60,000 of the lost revenue while the rest will be made up from tax requisition and reserves, staff reported.