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Council tables sanitation ordinance after questions about billing and dumpster charges
Summary
A proposed sanitation ordinance that would clarify responsibilities for solid‑waste billing and service was tabled to the next meeting after council members raised questions about when landlords or property owners, rather than tenants, should be charged.
Council members voted on Sept. 2 to table a sanitation ordinance and requested additional information about who should be responsible for solid‑waste fees in multi‑unit and rental properties. The sponsor said the change is intended to address properties that receive city solid‑waste service without paying and to align trash service opening with water service accounts.
The ordinance sponsor said the draft responds to a city audit by Waste Management that found some properties receiving solid‑waste services without corresponding payments. Council members questioned whether properties that provide private dumpsters should have those charges allocated to tenants, landlords or owners and whether the city’s standard practice of tying solid‑waste service to water account openings needed revision. The sponsor described the current ordinance as “archaic,” dating to the early 1980s, and said the goal is to ensure customers receiving service are properly charged.
After discussion the council voted to table the measure until the next meeting to allow staff to answer specific operational questions and confer further with council members. Staff asked council members to send additional constituent questions ahead of the next reading so staff could respond and, if needed, meet with property owners prior to second reading.
