The Pinellas Park City Council on Sept. 25 adopted Resolution No. 2025‑12 to raise the city’s solid waste and recycling rates, approving a change that moves the typical residential monthly charge from $18.67 (including a fuel surcharge) to $23.67 and eliminates the separate fuel surcharge.

City staff said the city’s solid waste contractor Waste Management Incorporated has converted collection vehicles to liquid natural gas, allowing the city to remove the prior diesel fuel surcharge. Kyle Harrison, director of Transportation, Stormwater and Construction Services, told the council the change represents a 27% increase for the majority of residential accounts and an average 42% increase for commercial accounts.

Why it matters: the department said the change affects about 13,000 residential accounts and reflects both higher operating costs and a county tipping‑fee increase. Harrison said the county disposal fee will rise from $54.50 per ton to $58.86 per ton on Oct. 1; those costs are included in the new rates. He added the city remains “competitive” with peer jurisdictions in Pinellas County after the adjustment.

Harrison described the current structure and the proposed changes during the meeting’s public hearing. "We are one of the few municipalities in the county that actually offer unlimited garbage service," Harrison said in his presentation, noting the city’s service includes twice‑weekly garbage pickup and weekly recycling.

Representatives of Waste Management addressed the council after staff presented the proposed rates. Bridal Hager, who identified herself as with Waste Management, thanked the city for the long partnership and emphasized the company’s efforts to retain drivers and maintain service quality. "A lot's going into this," she said, referring to cost pressures and wage adjustments for drivers. The company’s district manager, identified only as George during the meeting, was present but did not offer a formal statement beyond staff remarks.

Council members asked clarifying questions during the hearing, including whether residential dumpster pickups exist for certain properties (for horse properties and similar uses) and how specific account types would be billed. During the exchange staff confirmed that certain residential dumpster accounts are treated as business‑type accounts and are priced by dumpster size and pickup frequency; the presentation included an example showing a 4‑yard commercial dumpster moving from about $99.16 (with the 10% surcharge) to $154.89 under the new schedule.

Action and vote: Council member Butler moved to adopt Resolution No. 2025‑12 at the meeting’s second and final reading; the motion received a second and the council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution. The staff report and the resolution language specify an effective date but did not state the exact calendar date during the hearing that was read aloud in council; the resolution record submitted with the agenda materials provides the formal effective date.

The measure removes the separate diesel fuel surcharge long listed on bills, replaces it with a higher base rate and aims to keep Pinellas Park near the county average for municipal service costs, staff said.

No public speakers registered opposition or filed comments specific to the rate increase during the hearing.

Additional background: city staff compared the new residential rate to other municipalities in Pinellas County and said Pinellas Park will be “middle of the pack” at $23.67 monthly. The council approved the rate on a unanimous vote.