Huntington City Council’s Solid Waste and Recycling Committee created an online survey for residents and property owners to gauge interest about a continued recycling program.

According to a written release from the city, the survey data will be shared at the committee’s meeting 5 p.m. Thursday in City Council chambers. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 24 and on the city’s website.

Councilmember Bill Rosenberger, a member of the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee, created the survey to get citizen perspectives.

“I created the free version that you get 100 responses just to give us some more information and it was going kind of crazy viral yesterday,” Rosenberger said. “So I went ahead and paid the service fee to Survey Monkey to allow us to get up to 1,000 responses.”

Rosenberger said he hopes the survey will allow the members of the committee to take into account what those affected would want.

“Really, I just want the public to be a part of this decision,” Rosenberger said. “So whether it’s 100 responses or we get up to 1,000 we can say here’s what the residents of Huntington are telling us. Let’s make a decision based on that.”

Rosenberger said 591 people have filled out the survey so far and he has been reviewing those responses.

“I can tell you, in the last week 76 percent of [respondents] as of right now haven’t used [recycling],” Rosenberger. “About 75 percent are willing to pay something extra. About 80 percent are willing to pay $1-2 per month.”

Rosenberger said the majority of respondents have been in favor of curbside recycling.

“I know that might create issues with Marshall students who may not have that ability and I know we can come up with a way to work with Marshall on that,” Rosenberger said.

The survey asks questions regarding current use of recycling bins in Huntington, how much citizens would be willing to pay for a recycling program and whether or not the decision should be made by council members or by levy on the November ballot.

Rosenberger said he believes the last question is likely the most important on the survey.

“I think that’s one that’s weight on us most because we’ve instituted the user fee increase and prior to my coming on, they passed the fee on the water quality board,” Rosenberger said. “So, I feel like, personally I would probably steer towards a levy. Let’s let the voters decide if they want recycling.”

Those interested will be able to take the survey until 5 p.m. Thursday or until the 1,000 response limit is met.

The recycling survey can be found online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N58Q65D.

Clara Maynard can be contacted at [email protected].