News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Fort Wayne Receives Top Honors at IACT Conference
Community and Environmental Achievement Cited
(October 10, 2011) – Officials with the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) awarded the City of Fort Wayne two prestigious awards today at the annual IACT conference, in Indianapolis. IACT officials recognized Fort Wayne for the previously announced Community Achievement Award – as well as the prominent — Green Community Award.
The Community Achievement Award recognized the City for its recycling program and efficiencies that saved money, generated revenues, doubled community participation and reduced residential garbage fees by more than a million dollars.
“We are honored to receive these awards. Our residents have committed to participating and they deserve that rate reduction,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “It’s been an amazing nine months as we’ve gone from 34% participation to nearly 70% participation.”
Recycling efforts were also a part of Fort Wayne receiving the Green Community Award.
Additionally, the award recognizes sustainable efforts in the community using LED lights, low-flow toilets, emission reduction efforts through the City’s green fleet, a reduction of paper usage and the use of methane produced at the Water Pollution Control Plant.
The overwhelming success of Fort Wayne’s new garbage and recycling contract included a revenue sharing process for the first time in the City’s history. The first year of the program is expected to generate more than $500,000. The new contract also reduced expenses which allowed the City to reduce fees to residents two times in less than a year. Combined – the fee reduction was well over one million dollars. Further savings allowed the City to pay off $1.6 million in Solid Waste Department debt.
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