After voting down a proposed change to single-sort recycling over the summer, the Mower County board took a step Tuesday toward improving its county-run, sorted recycling program.

The county board unanimously voted to increase the average household recycling rate from about $16.10 a year to $25 a year to help fund improvements that will include additions to the Mower County Recycling Center and could potentially lead to accepting more types of plastics.

“I do think we need to stay proactive on the issue and not let it fall by the wayside,” Chairman Mike Ankeny said.

The board voted down a potential switch to a single-sort recycling system on Aug. 25 after months of deliberations and an $850,000 bid from Waste Management Inc. to take over the county’s recycling program. Despite the nearly $9 increase per year approved Tuesday, the cost for county recycling, which is paid annually through property taxes, will still be far lower than the $55.36 single-sort could have cost.

Though the board voted down a change to single-sort due concerns about the cost increase and the loss of jobs at Cedar Valley Services, commissioners still stressed the need to boost recycling and keep more items out of landfills.

Commissioners and county staff are now following up by addressing concerns voiced by the public during its single-sort discussions, though plans are still being finalized.

The board currently accepts plastics Nos. 1 and 2, but it’s looking into accepting plastics Nos. 1 through 7, which would have been accepted through single-sort.

County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said that would likely result in a small value decrease for recycled plastics the county sells; however, it’s expected to significantly boost the amount of recyclables.

The board is expected to spend $20,000 for additional outreach and education opportunities regarding recycling. The board is also looking to increase curbside collection from every other week to weekly, while offering different shaped or sized bins after many people voiced concerns about the current bins being too small.

The changes could also reshape the Mower County Recycling Center, 1111 Eighth Ave. NE, to include a drop off portion running north to south with two garage doors on the west side for recycling trucks to enter and drop off recycling without leaving the main building garage doors open, which in the past has affected utilities by letting out heat during the winter. That addition will also include exterior drop boxes so the public can drop off recycling without have to enter the building on weekdays.

Building additions could also include a new compactor, a new scale and additional storage. However, there are still details to iron out, and commissioners and staff will have several months to do so.

“This is stuff that we’re obviously still working on,” Ankeny said.

Ankeny noted the new changes likely won’t take effect until Cedar Valley Services, who contracts with the county to pickup recycling and staff the recycling center, enters a new contract on April 1, 2016.

Commissioner Tim Gabrielson said this is likely just the beginning for recycling changes.

“This is just step one,” he said.