Commerce — The City Council held the first reading Sept. 2 of an ordinance amending Ordinance 2024-10-002 to revise solid waste fees. Assistant City Manager of Financial Services Miss Campbell presented the proposal and the council voted to advance the ordinance to a second reading at the regular September meeting.

Miss Campbell said the residential customer rate would not change. She told the council City Sanitation has requested a 2.5% increase to its contract fees and that the city is proposing a standard 5% adjustment on certain pass-throughs and ancillary charges to help cover costs such as the spring and fall bulk pickups.

"The residential rate that everybody sees, is not changing," Miss Campbell said. She added that the 5% adjustment the city typically applies helps cover large bulk pickups that are not billed directly on individual monthly statements. Miss Campbell said the rate shown to the council is roughly 2.5% higher than last year after accounting for City Sanitation's request and the city's customary adjustments; she did not have the exact current monthly residential fee on hand during the presentation.

Miss Campbell explained that some large pickups (including certain sludge pickups from the wastewater plant) use vendor rates and are pass-through charges based on the vendor's fee schedule, which the city will continue to pass through to customers as applicable. The council made a motion to advance the ordinance on first reading; the motion carried with the vote called as "aye" and no opposition recorded.

The solid waste contract with City Sanitation remains under negotiation, Miss Campbell said, and the contract discussion is a related item that council will consider separately. The ordinance approved on first reading will return for a second reading at the regular September meeting.