City Council Refuses To Hear Update On Fallings' Recycling Project

What the Tulsa City Council didn't want to hear about one councilor's trash recycling plan. At Thursday night's meeting, councilor Anna Falling tried to present an update on her pilot curbside

Tuesday, August 10th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

What the Tulsa City Council didn't want to hear about one councilor's trash recycling plan. At Thursday night's meeting, councilor Anna Falling tried to present an update on her pilot curbside recycling program. But fellow councilors refused to listen. The News on Six has more on what they don't know, and why they don't want to know it. "We recycled 10 tons of trash in the month of June. We are seeing significant changes in the way people's habits are being produced," said Falling. But had the council lent her an ear, they would have heard her claim that about 70 percent of the residents in her mid-town district now do curbside recycling. She calls it a public/private partnership.

City councilors said the first thing they want to hear about Falling's program is whether she did anything dishonest in setting it up. The city is currently investigating. "It is under investigation and that is the big problem. Until the investigation is done, I don't feel that any of us should discuss it," said Vickie Cleveland, city councilor. The councilors also say the problems began when Falling started a recycling program of her own. The city also has a plan which will be implemented this year. Not only are councilors unhappy with Falling's independent plan, they see it as a renegade project.

Two months into her six-month pilot project, Falling says it's already a success and the city should open its eyes and learn from it. Recycling fan Miranda Pautler just wants someone to pick up her recycled trash. "I really could care less about the politics. I hope they get it straightened out and I hope the program is successful and we can do it citywide," said Pautler.

The Tulsa city auditor says he will present a report on the Falling investigation in a couple of weeks.