Rapid City moves sanitation fee changes to council after staff outlines recycling and yard‑waste options

Rapid City Public Works staff presented proposed changes to sanitation fees — documented as Resolution 2025‑125 — at the Nov. 25 meeting, outlining the rationale for adjustments and potential program changes to make operations financially sustainable.

A staff presenter summarized the drivers behind the proposal: operational costs at the landfill, a large share of monthly residential charges tied to recycling operations, permit and diversion requirements with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and a significant portion of waste delivered by commercial haulers. "You can see from that visual that nearly a third of those monthly charges relate to, recycling operations," the staff member told the board.

Staff said options examined included scaling up recycling where markets exist (for example metals), modifying or reducing curbside yard‑waste pickup in favor of remote sites or a subscription tote service, and increasing commercial tipping fees to better allocate costs to those generating much of the landfill volume. The staff member estimated only about 15% of customers currently place yard‑waste bags out for collection on routes that drive the entire route to pick up a small proportion of customers, and proposed shifting yard‑waste to a subscription service.

After discussion about the size of the proposed increase and alternative approaches, a substitute motion to forward the sanitation fee proposal to council "without recommendation" passed. The board did not adopt fee rates at the Nov. 25 meeting; the item will move to the City Council for further consideration and final action.