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Newton Council adopts $18,600 budget amendment after recycling disposal rate jump
Summary
City staff told council that Republic Services raised MRF disposal rates from $35/ton to $125/ton, increasing monthly costs; Council unanimously adopted an $18,600 budget amendment to cover projected FY2020 expenses.
Public Works and Utilities Director Dusty Wentz told the Newton City Council on Feb. 18 that Republic Services notified the city it would raise the municipal recycling facility (MRF) disposal rate from $35 per ton to $125 per ton effective Oct. 1, 2019. Wentz said the city had tried to absorb the cost through reduced disposal and existing budget lines but the change increased the citys average monthly MRF expense to about $3,666.67 and created a projected FY2020 shortfall.
Wentz told council the city spent $11,793.07 on MRF fees in FY2019; with current spending patterns staff estimated an additional $22,000 will be needed this fiscal year and that $3,428.60 remained in the current line item. Staff requested a budget ordinance amendment of $18,600 to cover the remainder of the fiscal year. Council Member Jody Dixon moved to adopt the amendment; Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver seconded the motion and council voted unanimously to adopt it.
The minutes record that Council Member Dixon expressed a desire for more discussion at an upcoming workshop about the longer-term budgetary and programmatic response to higher MRF fees. The minutes do not include verbatim quotes from Wentz or council members; they summarize staffs financial figures and the unanimous vote to adopt the amendment.
The budget amendment as recorded will increase the FY2020 appropriation for MRF fees by $18,600 to cover projected disposal costs through the fiscal year end.
