Public works committee approves new residential trash fee and directs staff to prepare resolution and notice

The public works committee voted to set a new residential trash fee of $24 with an additional $5 charge and directed staff to draft a resolution and a customer notice explaining the change.

Committee members said the step follows a recently received hauling contract increase from Smith County and a rise in local tipping fees that staff said would require higher local charges to avoid running the service at a loss. Committee discussion covered dumpster costs, one-time trash-can rental options, and whether the urban service district should carry a larger share of the increase.

The action matters because the county currently covers part of the solid-waste program through the urban services assessment and property tax, and committee members said the new contract price from Smith County will push operating costs significantly above the department’s previous assumptions. One committee member summarized the problem by noting the county had not raised fees in about a decade and that incremental adjustments now could avoid larger, sudden increases later.

Committee members and staff debated multiple options: a per-month increase to the residential charge, a flat monthly increase that would cover tipping fees and trash-can replacement, or a one-time rental fee for new cans. Staff told the committee that one-time rental proposals under discussion included a $100 rental fee under which the county would retain ownership of the can and handle warranty replacements; staff also described an alternative to spread the cost through the water bill as a monthly charge so residents would pay over time.

After discussion, the committee approved a motion to set the residential fee at $24 plus an additional $5 charge, and to provide a written notice with an effective date before the fee appears on water bills. The committee asked staff to prepare the legal paperwork (resolution or ordinance as required) and to return to the full commission for final consideration once staff have completed updated cost calculations.

Committee members also agreed to postpone final adoption of any broader solid-waste ordinance until staff return with recalculated numbers reflecting the new Smith County hauling rate.

“All in favor? Any opposed? Alright. Motion passes,” the meeting chair said after the vote.

The committee asked staff to include a customer letter or bill insert explaining the reasons for the change and the effective date so residents have time to prepare.