The city of Poplarville is considering adopting a recycling program that will allow citizens to recycle cardboard/paper products, plastics and glass.

Chris Worley with the USDA recycling committee in Poplarville addressed the board at its Oct. 5 meeting regarding the program and asked the board of aldermen if it would consider adopting it. Worley said all three recyclable items would be placed in a single bin in town. The city would pay $50 a month to have the bin and for Sumrall Recycling to retrieve the trash once the bin is filled.

Worley assured city leaders the bin is a neat, expandable metal container, and Sumrall Recycling would ensure that it remains neat and emptied in a timely manner. He said the USDA already has been working with the Sumrall-based company in its own recycling efforts and has done so quite effortlessly.

“This will also drastically reduce the amount of trash in your dumpsters in town,” said Worley, “because it would be diverted to Sumrall.”

Mayor Billy Spiers asked Worley what the city could do to educate local citizens into even wanting to recycle if the board decides it wants to do this. Worley said Poplarville school children are the best teachers in the community.

“The kids are the ones who go teach their parents and get them on board with the program,” said Worley.

“I think this is a good opportunity to try this and work with our local schools to educate people. I know the Women’s Club of Poplarville would also get on board with the educational aspect of the program,” said Shirley Wiltshire.

Wiltshire said she thinks the city should do the project because of frequent questions from local citizens about a recycling program. She said the city just needs to find an easily accessible place for citizens to drop the recyclable trash.

Spiers said a location at City Park would be a likely spot. Bill Winborn, however, said he believes the board should take the matter under advisement before proceeding so members could get more information and find a suitable location for the bin.

Worley said the USDA has a portable metal carport the city could use to cover the recycling bin to ensure it stays neat and protected from rain.

The board decided to investigate the matter further and find a suitable location before approving the program.

In other business, a local citizen addressed the board about a foul smell coming through her water pipes into her home. A neighbor confirmed the smell was quite strong. Sam Hale, city superintendent, said investigation of the odor requires taking water samples at the meter and in the house to compare the two as an initial course of action.

In other activities, the board voted to send two employees to water operator training in Hattiesburg and five police officers to a Narcotics Investigation for Campus Communities seminar in Ridgeland. The board also discussed appointing a new member to fill a Poplarville Planning Commission vacancy. That appointment was taken under advisement at the beginning of September and the board again voted to take it under advisement.