It was an easy call last week for the Douglas County Commission to extend and expand a pilot recycling program that has drawn strong usage and high praise from county residents.

“I’ve never had so many happy constituents,” said Commissioner Nancy Thellman. “I think it’s been a great program.”

The pilot program, which started in October, placed recycling containers at four locations throughout the county: Prairie Moon Waldorf School, Stull United Methodist Church, the Vinland Fairgrounds and Wakarusa Valley School. It didn’t take long for the program to catch on and, in fact, exceed the expectations of county officials.

The volume of recyclables being deposited, however, resulted in the need for more-frequent pickups, which was raising the costs for the program. To respond to that problem, the county’s sustainability coordinator recommended that the number of bins be doubled at the rural sites. The bins will cost $14,000, but that expense will be offset in less than a year by lower operating costs. Instead of a projected $56,000 annual cost, the county will be able to operate the program for $36,600 a year.

The need for additional recycling options in the county became more urgent after the closing of the drop-off recycling center at Wal-Mart in January 2015. Judging by its high usage, the program is a positive and convenient service for rural residents who want to recycle.

It’s not often that a local government can make so many constituents happy with such a modest investment. Congratulations to the county for its popular and successful recycling program.