Mulch and Wood Recycling Program

We recycle Cuba Township wood in a number of ways. One of the ways is our ever-popular firewood program available for you during the season, generally from October through March at our yard on Fridays. We restrict the quantity of firewood you can receive and load it for you Fridays only between 7and 3 generally between October and March.

Beginning at the end of March our mulch program is available for free pickup at our wood yard from 7am to 2:30pm Monday through Friday. Private personal vehicles only, no commercial vehicles, no landscapers under any circumstances or landscaper vehicles. We also deliver free mulch charging $85.00 for the delivery, per truckload.

Last year two local landscapers objected vehemently to our mulch program attending several township meetings requesting that the program be terminated as they claimed it was interfering with their business. I have some sympathy for them although I believe the economy is more responsible for homeowners not purchasing high end very expensive mulch.

Nevertheless so long as I am the Highway Commissioner of this township I will maintain this mulch program for the taxpayers of this township.

You should be aware that there is a difference in quality between the mulch we prepare and much of the mulch sold by commercial landscapers. The more expensive mulch sold by many landscapers is commonly referred to as "bark mulch". This is mulch which is taken 100% from the bark of trees generally made in the southern United States and then shipped north for sale. It is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye and truly a hard wood. The mulch we produce here comes from the local area and from all types of trees. It is more finely ground and consists of the entire tree as opposed to bark. We use screens on our grinder to shred the mulch finely so that it more easily decomposes into the ground over a period of time thereby enriching the soil and providing a true recycling or "green" effort. If you are buying other mulch you should inquire as to it being "bark" or something else.

In 2012 we will begin delivering mulch on March 29 or 30 and continuing thereafter every week through the spring and summer subject to our work load for normal road district matters. A full dump truck load of free mulch can be delivered this year for $85.00 per load. Mulch delivery charges must be pre-paid either by check delivered here to the township office or by ordering online and using this online ordering page (see bottom) and the secured credit card processing. Alternatively you can call and order mulch and give credit card information to Anne Baker here at the township 847-381-7793. Please understand the drivers are faced with much work and cannot take checks at the time of delivery. DURING PEAK PERIODS WE CAN ONLY TAKE ONE LOAD PER HOUSEHOLD PER WEEK. PLEASE DO NOT PAY FOR MORE THAN ONE LOAD AT A TIME WITHOUT FIRST TALKING TO THE OFFICE. Please bear with us and understand that there are a limited number of loads that can be delivered each week as our main focus is on road conditions and repair throughout the township.

Please know that a portion of the money received for these delivery charges is given to the Cuba Township food pantry who in 2011 has been overwhelmed by those in need. The road district and myself as the Highway Commissioner remain socially conscious of this need and try to help out whenever possible.

As you can see we have increased our delivery charges from last years price. The following is the basis for this increase.

Last year we reduced the road maintenance permanent road tax (also known as the gravel tax) from 13.5 cents to 13 cents. This is a direct tax on assessed value in the township and is not a tax levy. In other words as the assessed value OF the township drops, so do our tax revenues from this fund. In addition to the reduction of 1/2 cent in the tax rate last year, we also had assessments reduced overall in the township which resulted in approximately a 10% reduction in the total revenue raised by the permanent road tax. This year we again are having an 8-10% reduction in assessed values in the township. While I disagree with the way the assessments are turning out in the township I nevertheless did not increase the tax rate to maintain the same amount of revenue as we received last year. We therefore will suffer a reduction of somewhere between 6 and 10% in tax revenues received from the permanent road tax. While other taxing districts keep their levies constant which result in an increase in tax rate and a constant amount of revenue our major revenue source, the permanent road tax will not remain constant but will for the second year decrease. I am and have been committed to saving taxes whenever and where ever possible. However we are at the point to where the road district cannot properly operate with the loss of any further revenues.

As a result of the reduction in real property taxes the Road District is receiving we have to seek other revenue sources. One of the sources is of course special programs and as a result the mulch program has received what I consider to be a very minimal increase in keeping with the service and value provided. Additional pressure on the mulch cost has come from fuel. A large dump truck travels at approximately 5-8 miles per gallon of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel right now is extraordinarily expensive and increasing greatly in price on an almost daily basis as the price of oil increases. As I dictate this at the end of February oil prices are well over $110 per barrel of crude. This puts extraordinarily upward pressure on diesel fuel prices. Hence those increases are passed along in the increased mulch price.

ONLINE DELIVERY FORM:

Remember, when in season deliveries can be called in at 847-381-7793 or you may order them on this page. We accept check or credit card.