Kingman council delays solid-waste rate decision, asks staff to survey residents

Kingman — The Kingman City Council on Dec. 17 paused consideration of Ordinance 1950, a proposal to raise residential and commercial solid-waste rates, and directed staff to survey customers about service preferences before returning with a recommendation.

Vice Mayor Sammily opened the public hearing and city staff presented a five‑year financial plan showing a projected gap between revenues and expenditures that would leave the system below the city’s 60‑day cash‑reserve target by 2027. City staff said the solid‑waste enterprise serves roughly 14,000 customers — about 13,000 residential and 1,000 commercial — and that landfill and personnel costs account for about half of the system’s expenses. “We spend almost $1,000,000 a year in landfill costs,” the presenter said during the staff presentation.

Staff recommended a smoothing approach that would spread a roughly 5.7% annual increase over five years to maintain a 60‑day reserve and replace aging trucks. Under the recommended path, the typical residential customer receiving twice‑weekly pickup would see a monthly charge move from $20.37 to about $21.53; residential extra‑trash loads would increase from $25.75 to $27.25.

Multiple members of the public urged the council to consider service‑level changes rather than an immediate rate increase. David Bailey, a Kingman resident, said he lives alone and “I should get charged for that once a month instead of every week.” Others, including Hermelinda Richards and Gordon Sanchez, suggested once‑weekly pickup with an option to purchase additional containers or adopt usage‑based billing.

Staff acknowledged the ideas but said Kingman currently lacks the tracking technology for usage‑based billing and that the city’s code requires residential customers to use the city service (commercial customers may contract privately). Staff added that a county health‑department variance would likely be required to reduce mandatory twice‑weekly service to once‑weekly.

Council members expressed concern about the financial risks of lowering rates without a trial period and uncertainty about whether residents would buy extra cans. To gather better information, Council Member Savage moved to delay action on Ordinance 1950 and ask staff to conduct a resident survey; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Next steps: staff will develop and administer a resident survey on frequency and container options and return with findings before the council adopts final rates. If a rate increase is later approved, staff said it could take effect Feb. 1, depending on the council direction and public notice requirements.