In withdrawing from Wayne Union Recycling, Wayne County government is replacing the dissolved WUR with a partnership that funds a shared educator’s position through the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Wayne County’s commissioners and council members reviewed a draft interlocal agreement for 2026 funding Sept. 3. The interlocal includes Wayne County, Richmond Sanitary District, Wayne County Soil and Water, and Union County Soil and Water Conservation District.
It calls for the sanitary district to pay 50% of the educator’s salary and fringe benefits, Union County Soil and Water 10%, and Wayne County Soil and Water the $10,000 it receives from the state. Wayne County would be responsible for the remaining cost and for collecting payments from the other entities.
The educator’s position and a part-time recycling position served the participating entities in WUR. Since WUR’s dissolution, the recycling position, which is now vacant, was moved under the commissioners. The educator’s position has remained under Wayne County Soil and Water.
The county’s goal is still to partner with Richmond Sanitary District to expand curbside recycling to towns outside the sanitary district’s current footprint. With that, the county could have conversations with the sanitary district about shifting the recycling position to the sanitary district.
Council members expressed the desire to have the interlocal in place prior to it approving the soil and water budget, which is scheduled for Oct. 16.
HELP assistance
A memorandum of understanding with HELP the Animals shelter that Wayne County will provide $30,000 for a HELP kennel project was approved 2-0 by commissioners. It was previously approved by HELP’s board and must now be approved by Wayne County Council.
Commissioners also approved paying $15,000 from their contingency fund and the other $15,000 from their animal welfare line item that’s used to pay HELP for sheltering animals and for projects such as low-cost clinics and trap, spay/neuter and release efforts with feral cats.
Opioid settlement
Wayne County is accepting applications for disbursement of more than $250,000 in opioid settlement funding. The money is provided annually from Indiana’s share of settlements reached with opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid addiction crisis.
A committee has been formed in conjunction with the Wayne County Health Department to score applications and make funding recommendations to commissioners. Applicants must be a local nonprofit, health provider or partner with an office in Wayne County.
Applications are due by email at 5 p.m. Sept. 30. Find more information and application materials at wwn.to/wcorga.
A version of this article appeared in the September 10 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.