The city of Chattanooga’s curbside glass recycling and composting pilot program will cost about $250,000 to run for nine months. The funding was approved Tuesday by the Chattanooga City Council.
The money will be given to the companies involved through single-source agreements, city documents show, meaning there was no original request for proposals for a pilot project. The city reached out directly to both companies, NewTerra Composting and Overlooked Materials, according to each of their founders — Normand Lavoie and Morgan Holl, respectively.
Part of the funding for the composting pilot will come from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation through a matching grant: $105,000 from the state and $105,333 from the city. The glass recycling pilot, with a price tag of $45,000, will only come from the city’s coffers.
The resolutions to approve the funding passed 7-1, with Chair Jenny Hill of North Chattanooga absent. Council member Dennis Clark of Cherokee Woods was the only no vote.