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Solid waste director explains new availability and disposal fees after public confusion
Summary
County solid waste director detailed how availability and disposal fees were applied on recent tax bills and urged clearer itemization on future tax statements; commissioners discussed forming a committee to study overall solid waste fees and alternatives.
Caswell County—s solid waste director explained Sept. 2 how two recently adopted fees were applied to tax bills after residents called the county with questions, and commissioners discussed examining solid-waste costs.
At the meeting, the director said the county adopted an availability fee and a disposal fee. He said the tax bills did not separate the two fees on the printed bill, which led to confusion. "One fee was $55, which should have been the availability fee, and the other availability fee is a 130, which is the availability fee, and the disposal fee, which is $75 added together," the director said, summarizing how fees appeared on bills.
He explained the difference in practice: property owners inside town limits with municipal trash service were charged a $55 availability fee; property owners in the county or those who choose to use the county—s compactor sites were charged a $130 availability fee. The disposal fee of $75 covers off-site disposal locations and the Yanceyville compactor. Businesses with dumpsters should have a $55 availability fee; small businesses that haul their own trash to compactor sites would be charged the $130 availability fee.
The director said proceeds are used to cover department services including recycling, closed- landfill maintenance, equipment and the compactor. He told the board his contact information appeared on the county—s media release and that he had not received calls after the release but was available to explain charges individually and to correct billing errors for abandoned properties or accounts that qualify for different fees.
Commissioner Smith asked the board to form a committee to study solid-waste fees and alternatives, including evaluating costs of hauling to outside landfills versus current vendor arrangements. The county manager said staff had already discussed options with the solid waste director.
What—s next: the director recommended clearer itemization on future tax bills to show the availability fee and disposal fee separately; commissioners discussed assembling a study group to examine fee structure and vendor options.
