HOISINGTON — The Hoisington City Council recognized one their own at Monday night’s meeting. Duane Reif was honored with a resolution noting his public service as council member since January 2021. Reif won election to join the Barton County Commission. “I learned a lot,” Reif said in thanking the Council, “My goal was to help make Hoisington become a better place to live and work.” 

Shirley Kaiser Miller won the Ward 3 district seat vacated by Reif. Other Council members re-elected and sworn in are Karen VanBrimmer, Ward one, Carrol Nather, Ward 2, and Gary Shook, Ward 4.

Other business of the evening was annual housekeeping of denoting the official banks and newspaper for the City. Council member Jim Morris was elected President of the Council. He will chair the meetings in the absence of the mayor.

The city updates included the 2022 tonnage report for the City of Hoisington from Stutzman Refuse Disposal. The SRD report shows that approximately 265 tons of waste was diverted from the Barton County landfill for recycling. City Manager Jonathan Mitchell noted, “A little over 18% of our waste that would normally go to the landfill was recycled. We’re hoping that we can get that number up even higher.” Council Member Shirley Miller asked about the rumor that all trash from Hoisington was taken to the county landfill. 

Mitchell explained, “the recycling is taken to South Hutchinson to their facility there.” The long-time Council members spoke of a tour of the SRD facilities and how recycled materials are sorted to be re-purposed. Eight-five other cities also recycle though SRD.