Brownsville updates master fee schedule; approves recycling rollout and new solid-waste pricing structure

Brownsville — The Brownsville City Commission on Thursday adopted an updated master fee schedule that formalizes a range of fee changes across municipal departments and establishes a new residential recycling fee tied to recently negotiated solid-waste contracts.

Deputy City Manager/CFO Alan Gard summarized changes the staff proposed as part of the annual budget process. The master fee schedule update consolidates fees citywide and implements adjustments that staff said reflect higher costs, regulatory requirements and new services. Among the changes adopted were credit-card processing surcharges for card payments, removal of library late fines for overdue books, new EMS specialty and after-hours fees, adjustments to airport fees required by FAA/TSA rules, and updated animal-shelter adoption and owner-surrender fees.

The commission also approved a new residential recycling program contract and revised residential and commercial rates tied to previously negotiated agreements. Staff said on March 18 the commission authorized agreements for residential and commercial solid-waste services with Republic Services and for residential recycling with Redfish (the March approval was referenced during the fee discussion); the fee schedule now sets the monthly recycling charge at $5.49 per household with rollout mechanics described by staff.

Gard said the implementation plan calls for education beginning in October and bin rollouts in January, with recycling collection every other week on the household's regular trash day. He showed sample bill comparisons: a household with a single trash cart would see a net increase of $2.31 per month after the recycling fee and adjusted trash charge are applied; households able to reduce from two trash carts to one through recycling could see lower total monthly bills in later months. Replacement carts would cost $100, and an extra recycling cart would be available for $5.49 monthly.

Staff emphasized the landfill's importance to the city's revenue picture. The finance presentation noted the landfill generated about $14.9 million in revenues through the reporting period; a staff presentation to commissioners quantified that losing landfill revenue would significantly affect the tax rate. Republic Services presented commercial-rate schedules staff said would produce average reductions of roughly 32' 44 percent for many commercial service levels; staff said Republic will gradually replace old dumpsters and has absorbed some former contractor employees.

Library officials were supported in the meeting by the library director, who said the budget-funded makerspace position was enabled by reallocating material-replacement funds. The commission unanimously approved the master fee schedule ordinance after public hearing.

Notable fee items adopted - Residential recycling fee: $5.49 per month per household; collection every other week; extra recycling cart $5.49/month; replacement cart $100. - Residential solid-waste adjustments: single-cart monthly trash charge reduced from $23.24 to $20.30 under the new contracts; net effect with recycling adds $2.31 for single-cart households in early months but allows households to save if they reduce trash volume later. - Landfill fee schedule: multi-year increases (4% per year over five years previously approved) to support equipment and life-extension investments. Staff noted the landfill generated about $14.9 million in revenues through May in the report used at the meeting. - Library fines: elimination of overdue book fines; retained charges for lost/damaged materials and for technology loans (MiFi/iPad replacement fees).

Action: Commission adopted the updated master fee schedule (ordinance no. 2025-1761-A) following public hearing and discussion; staff will implement the recycling rollout and publish revised billing details.