Republic Services seeks 6% rate increase; county to refer request and explore customer relief

Courtney Voss, municipal manager for Republic Services in Central Oregon, asked the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on April 30 to advance a 6% increase in resident garbage collection rates for the company’s Klamath County customers.

Voss said Republic Services serves about 1,306 residential customers, 55 commercial/industrial customers and five permanent roll‑off boxes in the Klamath County service area. She told commissioners the company’s 2024 operating margin (operating income) ended at about 23.84% and that collection revenue rose in 2024 largely due to volume and customer growth. She said disposal costs are rising: the company expects a 13% disposal‑cost increase in September and additional periodic increases thereafter, and that the 6% request does not yet account for the coming September increase.

“Every time we come in for a rate request, we’re submitting our 2024 actuals compared to our 2025 projection,” Voss said. “Disposal increased by 13% in September, and it’ll go up again 13% in September, and then there’ll be periodic increases thereafter.”

Voss outlined state‑level changes under the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), noting an expansion of curbside recycling services in some nearby counties and saying Republic Services plans to survey Klamath County customers (the 1,306 account holders) to determine local interest in curbside recycling. She said Deschutes County plans a September service expansion and that company staff will return with survey results to evaluate whether to pursue curbside recycling in Klamath County.

Commissioners raised concerns about the effect of a rate increase on lower‑income neighborhoods in the company’s southern Klamath service area. Voss said Republic Services offers low‑income or senior discounts in some service territories and that it could explore options for Klamath customers, but because the Klamath customer base is small the cost would fall on other ratepayers unless the company or county used existing margins to offset discounts. She suggested non‑monetary accommodations such as reduced collection frequency or payment arrangements for customers in hardship.

Other operational items discussed included landfill capacity and regional waste planning. Republic Services staff discussed possible expansion at the company’s Chamault landfill (transcript spelling) and soil and permeability tests required for expansion; the company said amendments to meet current standards would be costly. Participants also discussed broader regional constraints on landfill siting and waste exports to other jurisdictions.

County staff and the board agreed to move the 6% rate request forward through the county’s administrative “blue sheet” process for formal review. Voss offered to follow up with county staff about a low‑income mitigation proposal and to return with results from a customer recycling survey. No formal vote on rates occurred at the work session.