Halifax pushes recycling effort

Halifax Town Council is reminding citizens that the Town has an ordinance which requires that they recycle as much of their waste as is possible. That ordinance was passed back in 1991 and the Town offers free recycling to all its residents by not only supplying them with plastic bins for the collection of their recyclables, but also with free curbside pick-up on Wednesdays of each week. Starting this week, Town employees will distribute the free recycling bins to residents who live along Canterbury Drive and who have not been participating in the weekly recycling effort. That effort will be expanded to other areas of the Town in the near future. Town Manager Carl Espy pointed to the expense that both the Town and County must bear in hauling solid waste to the regional landfill in

Boydton and noted that by recycling their newspapers, plastics, aluminum and tin cans, residents can help to hold down the costs that the Town faces. Council will meet tomorrow  night in Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. and members

are expected to not only discuss the recycling effort, but also to review the Town's draft budget for FY 2008-09. That budget calls for no tax increases with the real estate rate dropping to 18 cents per $100 value, down from the current year's rate of 19 cents per $100. The rate decrease stems from the recent reassessment of property with the value of properties within the Town rising by 4.5 percent. According to state law, the Town had to drop its rate to compensate for the increase in value of its real estate (the Town could have, just as Halifax County has done, advertise a rate increase). The overall budget for the Town dropped 80.08 percent, with most of the

change coming from the transfer of the water and sewer operations to the Halifax County Service Authority. However, the general fund budget dropped by 7.06 percent with only funding for the police department

increasing by almost six percent — from $277,385 to $293,981. Town Councilmen on Thursday afternoon during their monthly work session heard a report from Marsha Hite of the Halifax Village Business Association  on plans for the second Annual Halifax Wine Festival which is set for Saturday, June 21 from 1 until 7 p.m. at the Mary Bethune

Complex. Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase a clock, which blends with the historic atmosphere, for the courthouse area. "People are excited about the idea of having the clock here," Hite told Councilmen.

Hite said seven wineries have committed to being at the festival as well as local food vendors, local antique and craft vendors and two bands. Council is expected to approve its sponsorship of the festival at tomorrow night's meeting.

Council is also expected to act on recommendations from the Town's Planning Commission on amendments to the C-1 Commercial Zoning District which will allow for a community/farmers market and a veterinary hospital to operate in those districts.