McCandless Receives Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence

The Town of McCandless has been recognized with the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence.

Given by the state, the award to McCandless is for developing an intergovernmental partnership with Ohio Township to establish an automated recycling, trash and yard waste curbside collection program.

 “It is an honor for the Town and its citizens to be acknowledged with our partner, Ohio Township, for one joint recycling, trash and yard waste program,”  Toby Cordek, manager of McCandless said in a statement.

The Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence recognizes local governments and officials that have found creative ways to improve their communities.

In 2007, McCandless and Ohio contemplated the idea of working together to create an enhanced waste collection program for each community.

With approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to proceed, each community applied for and was awarded a $500,000 grant for the purchase of recycling and yard waste containers.

Prior to the partnership, McCandless threw away an average of about 800 tons of residential trash and 150 tons of recycling per month in 2009, according to Republic Waste.

In October 2011, McCandless reduced trash disposal to 494.6 tons per month and increased recycling to 420.8 tons a month. In addition, yard waste service was introduced and recorded 288 tons the first month the service was available.

Collectively, McCandless and Ohio also recycled 35.5 tons of old plastic trash and recycling containers that were not kept for further use by residents.

Staff from both municipalities formed a working relationship with all components of research, training, development of educational materials and administration of a true intergovernmental partnership.

“This effort could not have been possible without the fully committed teamwork of Ohio Township’s and McCandless’ governments,” said Cordek said.

Other recipients of the Governor’s Award include Avalon, Kilbuck Township, Fox Chapel Authority, Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Mt. Lebanon, Tarentum and Butler County Council of Governments.

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