State College Borough Council approved last night a $10,000 no-interest loan to the AIDS Project in Centre Region.

The loan, which will run from March 1 to Nov. 30, will augment the project's cash flow until it receives the balance of a $41,000 grant from the Conference of Mayors.

The funds will be used primarily to give counseling and assistance to those infected with AIDS or the HIV virus, but will also help educate the community.

Councilwoman Ruth Lavin suggested council hold off approving the loan, so the Centre Region Council of Governments could also be involved. Everyone should be learning about the problem, she said.

"I think the community at large should share this responsibility," Lavin said.

Other council members, the mayor and the borough manager all agreed it should be approved immediately because of the importance of the program.

"If you're gonna introduce this subject to COG, you better schedule about a year to make them convinced that we have a need for it," said Mayor Arnold Addison.

In other matters, council put an end to "The Great Recycling Can Color Debate of 1990," deciding to keep the red recycling bins that were called ugly by some community members.

The proposal, which received considerable play from the media, was criticized by Addison and left some council members fearing similar fiascoes.

The idea started when the State College planning commission recommended to council on Jan. 17 that the red recycling bins used by residents be exchanged for green ones if it could be done at no cost to the borough.

However, it would have cost the borough a lot of money to replace the bins, said Borough Manager Peter Marshall, who suggested council defeat the proposal.

Addison criticized the media and others for playing up the "green-red" debate, when there are more important matters to discuss.

"I don't think it was fun, I think it was very poor public relations. I hope to hell we're not gonna discuss this any further," Addison said.

The affair may have made council a little more cautious in dealing with the planning commission, as it later defeated a proposal to allow the advisory board to share planning information with the University

If passed, the planning commission would have been able to meet with University officials on a regular basis to discuss matters concerning both entities. Several council members said the planning commission should not be used as a go between to Penn State for the council.

"It seems to me that the council should be the liaison with the University rather than the planning commission," said Councilman R. Thomas Berner. "Does this council want another group out meeting with the University. My answer is no," he later added.

Others defended the measure on the grounds that increased dialogue with the University is desirable.

"I think (the planning commission) ought to be able to talk to as many people as they deem necessary, in what ever form," Councilman Bill Welch said.

Councilman Jerry Wettstone said after the meeting, "I share the concern of the planning commission operating unilaterally. But knowing the planning commission and the way they operated, I am not worried."

"I don't think we have enough dialogue with the University," Wettstone added.

Council will, however, look at other ways information can be shared at later worksession.