By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators have tabled a proposal that would have scrapped a plan to offer no-cost recycling at county transfer stations.

The proposal brought forward by Solid Waste Committee Chairman Joel LaPierre was vastly different from the resolution that had appeared on the agenda, which would have raised frees on those who bypass the county transfer stations from $6 to $12 per ton and offered zero cost recycling.

Critics of that proposal said zero cost recycling would be a losing endeavor as there is a cost to recycle waste. The plan to double the fees for those who don’t use the transfer station drew concerns from Parishville and Colton representatives, who would have seen massive increases in the cost of waste removal.

Because of those issues, LaPierre submitted an alternative proposal, which would have reduced recycling costs from $50 per ton to $40 per ton. That plan would have raised direct haul fees from $6 to $7.50 per ton.

Under the new proposal there would be no increase in trash dumping fees at the county transfer station.

But Legislator Rick Perkins, who represents Parishville and Colton, was concerned about the last minute change to the resolution. He said Monday he had been in contact with town supervisors from his district that were concerned with the proposal that appeared in the agenda. Perkins wanted time to review the new proposal and discuss it with parties that would be most affected by it.

Other legislators also expressed concern over the last minute changes to the fees, which also included some substantial increases.

The proposal would raise the cost of shingle disposal from $115 to $128 per ton. It also increases the cost for Ogdensburg Municipal Sludge from $65 to $70 per ton.

After a brief discussion the measure was tabled in a split vote.