The South Padre Island City Council on Tuesday approved a pass-through increase to the city’s contracted solid-waste rates after Republic Services said disposal fees at the Brownsville landfill rose sharply.

City Manager Randy Smith introduced the request and called Republic’s submission an "off-schedule request" after the Brownsville operator raised fees with little notice. Republic Services representative Ray told the council the landfill stopped offering a discount for segregated clean brush and raised that fee from $18 per ton to $43 per ton, and that municipal solid-waste disposal fees rose by roughly 75 percent at the facility. The company asked the city to permit a pass-through of the disposal increase to customers, not to add a profit margin.

The city’s packet showed the proposed residential monthly rate would rise from $24.43 to $26.22 — a $1.79 monthly increase (about 7.33 percent) for a single-container residential account — and listed comparable increases for commercial containers and roll-off service. Ray said the contract with Republic Services runs through February 2026 and that the city could revisit terms at that time.

Several council members and residents raised concerns about how and when customers were notified. One council member said many residents had already received notices in the mail before the council reviewed the request; the city manager and Republic acknowledged a timing problem and apologized for the early mailings. Ray said the company would refund amounts if the council later denied the increase.

The council approved the pass-through request. One member voted against the measure and one member abstained; the motion carried.

Why it matters: South Padre Island shares a regional disposal system; the Brownsville landfill decision affects multiple municipalities in Cameron County. The council’s vote lets the city keep curbside collection while shifting the increased disposal expense to customers rather than absorbing it in the general fund.

What’s next: The contract with Republic Services remains active through February 2026, when any permanent rate or contract changes would be negotiated in the renewal process.