South Fulton staff propose solid‑waste fee increase and Merc Miles upgrades; residents ask for more data

City of South Fulton staff presented a proposed FY26 solid‑waste rate increase and a package of improvements for the city’s Merc Miles convenience center during the March 24 work session, saying current fees will not cover projected expenses.

Assistant City Manager Mark Anthony Cooper said the solid‑waste enterprise fund is forecast to bring in about $9.3 million in revenue while expenses are estimated "a little bit over $11,000,000," leaving the fund unable to sustain current service levels without a rate adjustment. Cooper said staff proposes raising the residential fee that has been in place since June 2023; staff materials list the current fee as $233.16 with a proposed new rate that staff said would amount to roughly a $3.49 per‑month increase, effective in June, with an alternative citywide curbside recycling option that would carry a higher annual charge.

Solid Waste Coordinator Gordon Burkett described planned upgrades at the Merck Miles convenience center, including a retaining‑wall replacement, hydrant relocations, improved stormwater controls, consolidated recycling areas supported by a grant, wayfinding and a move to cashless, scale‑based transactions. Burkett said the city serves about 5,000 customers a month at the facility and that less than 10% of customers currently fall into the 151–360‑pound tier used in the pricing table; staff estimated the Merc Miles capital package at roughly $1,200,000.

Council members and speakers from the public pressed staff for more detail. Topics included: whether recycling at Merc Miles is actually diverted to end‑markets (staff said Pratt Industries receives materials and provides weight/dollar reports), how many customers fall into each weight tier (staff estimated roughly 60,000 customers a year and ~6,000 in the 151–360‑pound range), illegal‑dumping costs and whether those avoided costs offset a reduced convenience‑center fee, and how the proposed cashless scalehouse will improve tracking. Residents called for a town‑hall meeting, competitive procurement of vendor services and further exploration of alternatives before a fee adjustment.

What happens next: staff asked the council to consider approving the communications and outreach materials to educate residents before bills are mailed, and to return with final fee recommendations, supporting breakdowns by customer tier, and documentation on illegal‑dumping costs and vendor arrangements. No ordinance or final fee vote occurred at the March 24 work session.