Augusta commission delays final trash-fee vote, asks staff for targeted revenue options

County administration told commissioners the waste-collection fund has accumulated a deficit because prior required CPI-based rate escalations were not implemented, leaving the program underfunded as contract and disposal costs rose. Administrator Allen said the county’s 2013 starting fee would have been about $434 in 2025 if prior annual escalators had been applied; the current billed rate is about $320.50. Allen described two example fee-paths: a lower-option that would not cover indirect/ancillary services (vacant-lot maintenance, mosquito control, demolitions) and a higher option that would include those services. She said the county must decide whether to include ancillary programs in the user fee or absorb them in the general fund. Why it matters: The county collects a dedicated waste-collection fee on property bills. Changes to that fee affect nearly all households and are time‑sensitive because the tax commissioner requires final rate information for billing processes. Commissioner discussion and directions to staff: Commissioners expressed constituent concern, questioned visible return on prior ancillary spending (street sweeping, mosquito control, vacant-lot work) and urged sharper fiscal options. Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle and others asked staff to identify alternative revenue levers that might reduce the burden on households — for example, higher user fees for commercial and out-of-county/self-haul customers who use the landfill. Commissioner Guilfoyle moved and the commission agreed to ask staff to analyze a 10% increase for outside/self-haul waste users and return to the commission with that scenario; staff committed to present the analysis for the next commission meeting and to coordinate timing with procurement and finance because of imminent tax‑billing deadlines. Decisions and next steps: The commission did not adopt a final consumer rate. Commissioners voted to refer the fee decision to a special-call meeting (noted deadlines: tax commissioner requires finalized information by Aug. 18) and requested targeted revenue scenarios, including a 10% surcharge on out‑of‑county/self‑haul waste, for consideration at the follow-up meeting.