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Public works proposes $1 residential cart increase, 10% commercial uptick for downtown customers
Summary
Public Works proposed a $1 increase to the 95‑gallon residential trash cart and a 10% commercial increase for downtown customers; staff said the goal is to reach a 45‑day fund balance and continue repaying an internal loan from the water and sewer fund.
Public Works presented proposed solid-waste rate adjustments that would increase the residential 95‑gallon cart by $1 and raise downtown commercial collection rates by 10%. Abby Owens, director of public works, told council the proposal aims to restore a stable fund balance and continue repayment of a $2.5 million internal loan from the water-and-sewer fund.
Owens said the city’s solid-waste fund target was updated to a 45‑day operating balance in policy changes earlier in the year and that the proposed increases are intended to achieve that level; staff also noted the last rate increase for solid waste was in February 2011 and that program costs have risen for equipment, maintenance and service frequency. The proposed commercial increase uses the city’s fiscal-roadmap allowance to apply a 10% adjustment this cycle, and staff told council it will incorporate a comprehensive rate update in next year’s NewGen review.
Council asked about the appropriate fund-balance target; staff said 45 days is the revised policy goal and that they will monitor fund performance and return with additional recommendations as needed. If approved in the budget, the changes will be implemented in the next billing cycle and staff will report back on fund-balance impacts.
