By Diana McFarland

Managing editor

Isle of Wight County’s convenience centers have a new name and new hours.

Now dubbed “Refuse and Recycling Centers,” the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors changed the hours Thursday to be less confusing, and changed the name to be more transparent about what actually goes on there.{advpoll id=’2′ view_result=’0′ width=’0′ position=’center’}

The effort passed with a 4-1 vote, with Board Chairman Rex Alphin dissenting. {mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}

Alphin said the residents in his very rural Carrsville district feel the centers are about the only amenity they receive for their tax dollars and changing the hours again would be too disconcerting.

Beginning July 1, all Refuse and Recycling Centers would be closed on Wednesdays and open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. From there, the schedules vary slightly due to historic demand. 

Alphin wanted to return to the 12-hour, seven days a week schedule that was in place for years before it was changed in 2014 in an effort to save about $140,000.

“It was the most conducive to our citizens,” Alpha said.

Isle of Wight County Director of Public Works Tony Wilson said that after cutting hours in 2014, and through attrition, he would have a hard time staffing the centers for 12 hours a day, seven days a week. If it becomes necessary to add hours to a particular site, that can be done, he added.

The new changes are expected to result in an annual savings of about $431, but it will cost $5,000 to pay for advertising, new signs and pamphlets.

“I did not realize how much water and trash impacted a community,” said Newport District Supervisor William McCarty who was newly elected last November and included changing the convenience center hours as part of his campaign.  {/mprestriction}