GENTRY — Council members on Aug. 2 voted to contribute an additional 30 cents per capita to the Benton County Solid Waste District to allow the district to maintain its staff and continue to provide services to the city.

The solid waste district, formed in January of 2005 to meet state-required mandates, was obtaining more than 50 percent of its funds from fees assessed to waste haulers for each ton of collected solid waste.

In a July 12 court decision, Benton County Circuit Judge John Scott determined that the method used by the district to collect the fees — charging the waste hauler — was not authorized by state law. The assessment to trash haulers was discontinued immediately, an information memo from the Benton County Solid Waste District states.

As a result, the district was faced with a shortfall in funding and planned to layoff all administrative personnel and yet attempt to continue providing as many services as possible to Benton County residents. Those services included recycling programs, hazardous-household waste collection, tire recycling and others.

The city currently pays 50 cents per capita each year to support the work of the solid waste district. The additional 30 cents per capita, which amounts to about $650 dollars from the city of Gentry, will help fund administrative staff positions through the end of the current year. The city will pay the additional money out of the solid waste fund.

The solid waste district, together with similar districts throughout the state are expected to request legislation to clarify the method of fee collection so that districts can carry out their mandated duties and offer recycling services to residents.

“The way I see it,” said councilman Jason Barrett at a water and sewer committee meeting on July 30, “we should pay the 30 cents now to avoid paying more next year.”

It is hoped that by retaining the job positions of administrative staff, the funding difficulties can be resolved and services continued.

The city recently received a new $14,000 recycling trailer through a grant obtained by the Benton County Solid Waste District.