Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Independence council OKs 4% rate increase for Brand Sanitary Service
Summary
The City Council approved a 4% across-the-board rate adjustment for Brand Sanitary Service after hearing company and resident comments about rising disposal and maintenance costs.
The Independence City Council on April 8 approved a resolution allowing Brand Sanitary Service to raise residential collection rates by 4% across all service levels, citing seven years without a formal increase and rising disposal and maintenance costs.
City Planner Fred Evander and other staff reviewed the company’s request and recommended the adjustment to “help the provider catch up” after years of minimal changes, council members were told. Brand Sanitary owner Mr. Brandt told the council Coffin Butte landfill tipping fees and higher labor and parts costs drove the request: “Coffin Butte has raised their rates… tipping fees are getting somewhere in the $80 range,” he said, and noted other operating costs had risen since the company last adjusted rates.
The increase is structured as a 4% across-the-board change for 35-, 65- and 95-gallon containers. Brand Sanitary and staff placed the request in context by pointing to container-size differences with neighboring jurisdictions, noting some nearby providers offer slightly smaller containers for similar prices. Brand Sanitary said the typical annual bill increase for a 35-gallon customer would be about $12 a year and about $24 a year for a 95-gallon customer.
Residents who spoke at the meeting expressed appreciation for Brand Sanitary’s local service but worried about cumulative cost pressures. One resident said many households live paycheck to paycheck and urged the council to consider the financial burden on lower-income residents.
Councilors moved and seconded the resolution during the meeting; after brief discussion expressing appreciation for the company’s efforts to limit cost pass-throughs where possible, the council voted to approve the rate adjustment. The council did not establish an automatic future review schedule at the meeting; Brand Sanitary’s owner said he hoped to adopt a more regular, smaller increase cadence in coming years to avoid multiyear catch-ups.
The council action authorizes the rate adjustment to take effect per the resolution text and staff implementation timeline.
