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Council workshop advances solid-waste code cleanup and stepped trash-rate increases for seniors
Summary
Staff presented code amendments aligning curbside rules with a new contractor agreement and proposed stepped rate increases that narrow the city subsidy for senior accounts; the workshop moved both items to the council for final action.
City staff presented two related solid-waste items at the Feb. 3 workshop: an ordinance to align solid-waste code with the new contractor agreement and a proposed schedule of residential trash rates that phases in higher senior rates over five years.
What staff proposed: The code amendments clarify that residents must use contractor-provided cans (no bags or personal cans) and set collection frequencies; staff noted a drafting inconsistency on recycling frequency that would be corrected (remove a redundant sentence so recycling remains “twice monthly” as intended). The ordinance was presented with an effective date of June 1.
Trash-rate details: Staff explained the new Waste Connections contract rates and how those translate to resident charges. Staff reported Waste Connections charges to the city were $15.85 per standard resident and $13.95 for seniors under the expiring contract; the city charged residents $14.15 for standard service and $8.50 for seniors, with the landfill subsidizing the remainder. Under the new contract Waste Connections will charge the city $16.95 (first two years) for standard service and $13.95 for seniors; staff proposed charging residents the contractor’s standard rate while phasing seniors’ rates upward over five years to reduce the city subsidy gradually.
Why it matters: Staff noted the city currently subsidizes about $220,000 a year from landfill revenue for residential waste collection; the proposed stepped approach would reduce the five-year subsidy for seniors to an estimated $250,000 total (spread across five years) and decrease annual subsidy amounts in later years. Staff said the landfill has a projected closure in 2030 with closure and post-closure costs of roughly $7 million, so reducing ongoing subsidies is a fiscal priority.
Council action: The workshop voted to send the ordinance and the proposed rate schedule to council for consideration. Council members discussed parity with neighboring jurisdictions, service levels (some nearby towns do not provide recycling), and agreed the stepped senior rate made sense to avoid a large immediate increase for seniors.
Next steps: Staff will correct the drafting inconsistency in the ordinance language before council and return the finalized ordinance and rate schedule for council approval.
