Orange County officials are trying to determine the best way to distribute funds after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced 12 counties will get money to purchase bear-resistant equipment.
- 5 Central Florida counties will receive funding from FWC
- Orange County will get $150,000 for bear-resistant trash cans
Florida Fish and Wildlife announced the counties would share $825,000. Five of those counties are in Central Florida: Lake, Marion, Orange, Seminole and Volusia.
Orange County will receive $150,000 for bear-resistant trash cans in the northwestern portion of the county, which has an ordinance that requires trash be kept secure.
Bear-resistant trash cans that are compatible with the county's automated trash service cost more than $200.
"They've got to drive the price down somehow to get the neighbors to do it," said Chuck O’Neal, an Orange County resident in the northwest sector. "I'm hoping for under $100 a piece."
Reducing the high cost is the county's goal. County staff plan to use the $150,000 to subsidize the cost of the cans. The county hopes to roll out a more comprehensive plan in January.