The city of Delaware and a zero-waste driven company may work together to develop market infrastructure for the recycling of food waste.
City Council will consider tonight a resolution to sponsor Innovative Organics’ grant application to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for up to $250,000.
Innovative Organics was started by Ray Leard, Brock Reinhard and George Hunyadi in 2016. The company offers businesses and consumers throughout the central Ohio region a wide variety of services to reduce waste.
The Westerville-based company would match 100 percent of the yet-to-be-determined amount of funds at no cost to the city. Innovative Organics would use the funds to implement curbside food waste collection service with the purchase of processing equipment and 2,000 seven-gallon buckets for curbside collection along with recycling equipment and signs to be used for large outdoor zero-waste events.
The application deadline is Feb. 3.
Aside from food waste, City Council is expected to not take action on legislation that would update the permit process for circuses as some council members will be absent. Earlier this month, Council included in the proposed update an exotic animal ban and a determination of animal mistreatment, based on inspection reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services.
Exotic animals are defined under codified ordinance section 505.23 that now provides an exemption for circuses and zoos. City Attorney Darren Shulman will present legislation to update the section to exclude circuses from the exemption and clarify that only accredited zoos are exempted. Council will have a second reading of the legislation at its Feb. 13 meeting.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has received a copy of the legislation for comment, according to a city fact sheet.
In other business, Council will:
• Have a first reading for a combined preliminary/final development plan for Midwest Structural Pipe and Supply Inc. The owner of the more than 60-year-old company intends to relocate from Columbus to Delaware at intersection of Pittsburgh Drive and Section Line Road.
• Have a first reading to approve the name of an access road, from Crystal Petal Drive to Cheshire Road, to Kingman Hill Drive.
The meeting will take place at City Hall, 1 S. Sandusky St., 7 p.m. in council chambers.
