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Greenville council approves three‑year solid waste rate plan including cart replacement fee
Summary
Council approved a three‑year plan to raise the city’s solid waste fee and to include a built‑in replacement program for trash carts and dumpsters, aiming to cover rising truck and maintenance costs.
Greenville City Council voted to adopt a three‑year solid waste rate plan that includes a monthly fee component to fund container (cart and dumpster) replacement.
Public Works Director Kevin Mulligan and Chief Financial Officer Jacob Joyner presented the department’s three‑year update and two rate options. Staff described current solid waste operations—six refuse, six recycling and six yard‑waste routes, 48 employees, and a fleet of automated side loaders and other equipment—and said aging carts and rising truck prices are pressuring the fund. Joyner explained the fund is projecting a capital spike tied to truck purchases and long lead times for equipment.
Key details: The city currently charges $16 per month for residential sanitation service. Staff presented two modeled options: Option 1 (no carts included) would raise rates in steps to about $20 by 2028; Option 2 (which includes container replacement funding) shows a year‑one rate of about $19.25 rising to about $21.50 by 2028. Staff estimated annual vehicle replacement funding needs to increase from roughly $1.2 million to about $2.2 million to shorten replacement cycles and avoid higher maintenance costs, and projected roughly $800,000 per year as an estimated eventual cost for cart replacement if the city amortizes new containers across accounts.
Council voted to approve Option 2, which builds cart and dumpster replacement into the monthly fee, and staff said details such as replacement cycles and warranty handling would be finalized during budget work. Councilmember Blackburn made the motion to approve Option 2 with the rollout of container replacements; Councilmember Willis seconded. The motion passed (vote tally not specified in the record).
Why it matters: Staff stressed the city offers weekly refuse, recycling and vegetation pickup—service levels few peer cities match—and that equipment lead times and inflation have increased capital costs. Several council members praised staff efficiency but accepted modest rate increases to stabilize the sanitation enterprise fund and to fund predictable container replacement.
Next steps: Staff will include container replacement details in the fiscal year 2026 budget and follow the planned replacement cycle; council asked staff to provide further details on replacement timing, warranty policy and eligibility for interim failures.
