The Pinehurst Village Council has authorized the creation of a commission to recommend ways to restore the Village Green.

The action came during its work session Tuesday. The council also discussed proposed changes in garbage and recycling collection and approved a capital improvement plan

At a December work session, a group led by Bill Wetmore proposed a plan to restore the green to more of its original concept -- a place where residents can gather for community events. The committee will be charged with recommending what should be done to that area.

"We would welcome this resolution," Wetmore said before the vote, which was unanimous.

Under Wetmore's proposal, the work would be privately funded through tax-deductible contributions. Early estimates suggest the project would cost just under $300,000. The commission would also be responsible for viewing other proposals.

The Village Green, which is an oval piece of land behind the Village Chapel, is publicly owned and is covered in pine trees that were planted by the Tufts family after original plans to establish and maintain a lawn there were abandoned. The plan calls for an open space in the middle of the oval, which would include multiple pathways, park benches and a gazebo.

The commission will consist of six members -- Wetmore, Village Manager Andy Wilkison, John Strickland, Mike McCrann, Heidi Cross, and Patrick Barry. It will determine if enhancements are desirable and, if so, what types of improvements should be made. It will also determine the best locations for the enhancements, as well as how much they will cost, and how they will be funded and maintained.

The resolution states that the commission will make a report to the Village Council by May 12. Any action will be the council's responsibility, and the commission will be dissolved once its work has been completed.

In other business during the work session, the council discussed proposed changes to the garbage collection schedule with Assistant Village Manager Jeff Batton. Under the change, recycling collection would increase to once a week and household garbage collection would be decreased to once a week.

The changes are designed to meet an increasing demand for recycling in the village, according to Batton.

Under the current schedule, household garbage is picked up twice a week. Items for recycling are collected twice a month. The village also picks up yard debris twice a week nine months of the year and once a week for the other three months.

The village's solid waste staff handles garbage and recycling collection, while the streets and ground division is responsible for collecting yard debris. Under the plan, yard debris collection could be reduced to once a week, freeing up streets and grounds staff to work on its primary areas of responsibility such as road shoulder repair, storm water management and mowing -- something Batton believes will be a huge benefit to the community.

"You're going to see an aesthetic improvement in the community as a whole," he said.

No additional costs would be incurred, he said.

Residents who currently receive collection service on Monday and Thursday would keep those days, except garbage would be collected on Monday and recyclables on Thursday. The same scenario would apply to those who have a Tuesday-Friday schedule. The village would provide collection services on Wednesday on weeks where holidays fell on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.

The council seemed receptive to the idea but cautioned that educating residents on the changes would be paramount.

"It's going to take a lot of explanation to get everyone on the same page," Mayor Pro Tem Lorraine Tweed said.

Mayor George Lane agreed, but added the changes were a "step forward."

The council also adopted the $21 million capital improvement plan. According to its executive summary, the village's "projections of revenues and expenditures indicate the village is in a position to fund the plan as presented with no impact on the village's current tax rate."

The plan will be implemented over five years, beginning in the fiscal year 2010.

Contact John Krahnert III at 693-2473 or by e-mail at jkrahnert@thepilot.com