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Council debate centers on whether Walnut Grove should keep city-funded garbage service
Summary
Council members debated removing sanitation from city expenses and shifting costs to residents; council adopted the budget as presented after discussion, with a recorded 3–1 vote against by one member.
Walnut Grove City Council members debated whether residential sanitation should remain a city-funded service or be left to households to arrange and pay for on their own.
Council member Linda Pilgrim said she would not support reversing a prior promise to residents to provide garbage service and voted against the fiscal year 2026 budget because of that concern. Other council members said they heard from residents who preferred a lower property tax base and the option of obtaining private sanitation service rather than funding city-wide sanitation through taxes.
Mayor Morris and other council members explained that the adopted budget seeks to reduce the requested property-tax revenue compared with prior years — a step they said was intended, in part, to offset household expenses if sanitation moves to individual arrangements. No ordinance or formal policy change to sanitation service was adopted at the meeting; the action taken was adoption of the budget and a budget-resolution vote.
Councilors said they would continue to discuss the issue and that staff and the city attorney would be involved in follow-up to outline implementation steps if the administration proceeds with removing sanitation from city-funded services. The council noted that the June 26 work session will tackle heavy items and could include follow-up discussions.
The council did not record a separate motion specifically to remove sanitation service; the vote recorded at the meeting was on the fiscal year 2026 budget (approved 3–1).
