The Flagler Beach City Commission adopted a comprehensive fee schedule Tuesday that formalizes charges across water, sewer, sanitation and other municipal services, but commissioners agreed to an immediate reduction in recycled-glass prices after residents raised fairness and cost concerns.

Resident Angie, of 223 Ocean Palm Drive, told the commission she faced charges “over $90 or $200 for my yard debris” and said the cost made her “reconsider being a resident.” Angie also raised concerns about perceived sanitation-worker hours and the use of outside contractors, saying she felt city services were not delivering value for the taxes she pays.

Staff said the fee schedule collected by Utility Billing compiles many line items into one place and noted that sanitation rates are already increasing because of higher fuel and labor costs. Miss Harlan and utility-billing staff told the commission that special-pickup revenues have risen and helped offset tipping fees.

Commissioners debated several line-item charges before adopting the schedule. Commissioner Cooley argued residents already pay sanitation fees through monthly utility bills and suggested lower pricing for recycled glass for residents; Commissioner Bellheimer and others had also raised fairness concerns.

Action taken: the commission voted 3–2 to adopt the fee schedule as amended; Commissioners Cooley and Cunningham voted against final passage. During debate commissioners agreed to reduce the listed recycled-glass prices by one-third immediately and to direct staff to return with a focused review of sanitation fees at a future meeting so the commission can revisit household-pickup price points.

Clarifications and staff notes given at the meeting:
- Staff said recycled-glass revenues were already higher than budgeted this year and that the city had exceeded its recycled-glass revenue estimate for the fiscal year.
- The fee schedule includes a clause that rates remain adjustable based on item size, composition and weight.
- Several commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed unit pricing for large pickups and to check prior ordinances that required an inflationary adjustment to sanitation fees (a 2008 ordinance reference was noted by staff).

What residents should expect: the new fee schedule takes effect immediately following the ordinance’s passage; the recycled-glass price reduction will be implemented and staff will return with a report on sanitation- related fees for further review.

No new grant or program funding was approved during the discussion; the action was strictly a fee schedule adoption with a targeted price reduction for glass.