SELMA — City Council member Susan Keith is the garbage queen and she’s taking on recycling as a major program in this empire.

Keith has arranged a meeting to discuss recycling at the Selma-Dallas County Library Thursday at noon.

“A lot of people are expressing an interest in recycling and they need to come. They need to consider this an invitation and a notice,” she said.

Initially Keith wants a program to use a third party — places where individuals may take their recyclables and dump them, as opposed to curbside recycling.

However this is a beginning, Keith said.

Keith hopes to identify other “middle men,” as she calls them, to act as collection point for those who want to begin recycling.

“We need to have coordinated services,” she said.

The council member said she decided to push for recycling when she realized the city landfill was filling up.

“There are just so many holes you can plug up,” she said.

Her garbage subcommitte of council members Dr. Monica Newton, the Rev. Dr. Cecil Williamson and the Rev. B.L. Tucker also are questioning outsourcing garbage contracts, which could have curbside recycling as a part, Keith said.

“We’re not there yet,” she added.

Mayor George Evans said the city has requested information from several garbage companies about pickup and disposal.

“We have received information from two of them,” Evans said. “We’re continuing to look into it.”

Currently the city operates its own garbage operation. The equipment is worn, the mayor said, and a new truck is on the proposed $10 million bond issue list.