ARLINGTON — The city’s utility director Jim Kelly, wants to hear your opinion.

To that end, a public meeting starts at 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 18 at 154 West Cox Ave.

Among the topics to be discussed are city’s stormwater management plan and the draft sewer comprehensive plan. Other utility projects to be discussed include the Glen-eagle reservoir, a composting service for restaurants and the replacement of an 80-year-old sewer line in the alley east of Olympic Avenue.

The meeting is intended to provide public education and outreach, as well as solicit opinions on many of the city’s utility services.

“This feedback is required both by state laws and to qualify for certain grants,” Kelly said. He plans these meetings to help keep Arlington’s citizens well informed.

Kelly said that the department is receiving start-up funds of $21,000 in 2008 from the state Department of Ecology grant to promote composting and recycling among approximately 125 businesses in the city, especially restaurants, groceries and other establishments that serve or sell food and drink.

“If you look at the garbage of the average grocery store, only 5 percent of it is actually garbage,” Kelly said. “Another 30 percent is food and other material that can be composted, while the remaining 65 percent is recyclable. To throw it all away is a huge loss.”

Kelly explained that the city is approaching designated businesses this month and will have an exhibit touting the benefits of the program during the Arlington Street Fair in July. Among the benefits are a potential 10 percent savings on processing for participating businesses, compared to the cost for processing regular refuse.

Another project that’s already underway is the replacement of an 80-year-old sewer line in the alley east of Olympic Avenue. As Arlington grew, so many connections were added to this sewer line that it wound up conveying approximately 25 percent of the flow from the entire historical oldtown area,

said Kelly.

To solve the problem, the First Street sewer will be extended to West Avenue diverting the bulk of the flow away from the alley.

“Once the flow is diverted away from the alley sewer line, then that line can be surveyed and an appropriate plan put together,” Kelly said.

The cost of the First Street sewer extension is $445,000 for 175 feet of 12-inch sewer main. Kelly expects the project will be completed by October of this year.