Sanitation staff told Longmont City Council on Sept. 16 that the proposed 2026 sanitation budget would require service reductions if the council does not approve a rate adjustment. Chris Offer, assistant director of water and waste, said the fund faces rising costs and that the department has not raised rates in over eight years. Offer listed proposed reductions that would balance the budget if no rate action is taken, including cutting parts purchases, reducing tipping-fee allowances, removing styrofoam acceptance at the recycle center and suspending the city’s leaf-and-branch curb collection. He said the proposed cuts total roughly $735,000.

Offer and other staff emphasized the schedule constraint: because the city must present a balanced budget, the reductions are shown now but could be restored if council approves a pending rate proposal. Offer said staff will present a rate analysis to council; if council adopts the rate changes, staff will return to appropriate funds later in the year and restore services where feasible.

Why this matters: Sanitation is an enterprise fund supported by utility billing. Staff said earlier one-time revenues (oil and gas, RIN credits) that helped reserves are declining and vehicle and tipping costs have risen; the fund faces continued pressure without a rate increase.

What to watch for next: Staff will present a rate analysis as directed by council. If the council approves a rate change, staff said they will appropriate funds later in the fiscal year and aim to avoid the service cuts listed in the Sept. 16 budget document.