The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Madison County Reuse Store upgrade
In a bit of irony, a substantial DEC grant will close the doors of the Madison County Reuse Store - but only temporarily.
Friday, March 31 will mark the last day of operation at the Reuse Store, as the Madison County Department of Solid Waste begins work on renovations and an addition that will add a 300 square foot polebarn to the shop to allow space for larger items and double the store’s layout space. As a result, all remaining items at the store are discounted to 50 percent off the original price.
Since 2012, Madison County has partnered with the Rescue Mission in an effort to make sure items that still have a useful life are available at a discounted price at the shop, providing residents with a means of acquiring affordable household items or giving others an environmentally friendly way to rid themselves of clutter via donation. Throughout the last 5 years, the Rescue Mission of Syracuse has partnered with the county in that endeavor.
However, the Rescue Mission recently informed the county of its intent to pull out of the tandem operation. As a result, the landfill will continue to seek a new partner as it puts the $300,000 DEC grant to use in expansion and repairs.
“Even if they hadn’t done this, in order to expand, we would have been forced to close anyway,” said Madison County Recycling Coordinator Sharon Driscoll. “We are currently investigating new partners.”
And when the Reuse Store reopens, the layout space isn’t the only thing officials want bigger. Visitors to the store can expect a different selection of wares upon the reopening as well. Following a year of visiting other reuse stores across the region, Driscoll and Solid Waste and Sanitation Director Jim Zecca have come up
with a different formula for the store when its doors reopen to the public.
“Our vision is to add construction materials because they quite always sell well. Many [reuse stores] have started this way, but moved into other material,” Driscoll said, reiterating the desire to move away from housewares to materials more applicable to remodeling projects. Driscoll’s vision for the future of the Madison County Reuse store includes cupboards, lighting fixtures, sinks, doors, windows, vanities, showers, tubs, and perhaps even salvageable half a sheets of plywood or other unwanted, but still usable, pieces of lumber.
The goal of the new selections targeted by the landfill is to “help area residents with their remodeling projects” by offering materials at a significantly reduced rate. Fur thermore, Driscol l says she has an eye out for a deal with a major home improvement chain store to better stock the shelves at the store once it reopens.
“We haven’t yet but would like to work out a deal with Lowe’s,” Driscoll said, explaining that other reuse stores have agreements with similar stores where excess, unsold, or slightly defective materials are sent to the reuse stores and sold at signifi-
Though the store will be closed during renovations, residents can still drop unwanted but usable items off at Salvation Army boxes at all Madison County stations.
cant discounts.
Though the selections at the Madison County Reuse Store may change, the original objective is still as true as ever.
“The idea is to keep things out of the landfill that still have value and use,” Driscoll said.
As with most renovation projects, a definitive timeline is difficult to project as weather could always wreak havoc on construction plans, but Driscoll said that the store will reopen upon completion of construction.
Situated next to the Madison County Solid Waste Transfer Station on Buyea Road in Lincoln, the Reuse Store operated a Thursday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m schedule.
Though the store will be closed during renovations, residents can still drop unwanted but usable items off at Salvation Army boxes at all Madison County stations.