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Resident urges St. Ann to keep senior discount and curb late-fee powers in waste-contract talks
Summary
A 20-year resident told the board the upcoming waste-contract renegotiation should preserve a senior discount and add limits on the contractor's ability to impose late fees, saying he once paid a late fee that exceeded his bill.
During the non-agenda public-comment period of the Jan. 5 meeting, resident Barry Lighten said the city's waste-hauler contract is up for renewal and urged the board to preserve a senior-discount program and negotiate restrictions on late fees.
"I'm a senior and I heard a rumor that perhaps the senior discount was going to go away ... I would not like to see that go away," Lighten said, adding that he previously paid a late fee that exceeded his bill and that the current contract imposes no cap on what a hauler can charge in late fees. He asked the board to "point that out to them in our negotiations and keep the senior discount."
Board members thanked Lighten for speaking; no formal board action or vote on the waste contract was taken at the meeting. Staff and elected officials noted negotiations are forthcoming and that contract terms will be part of that process.
Next step: The waste contract renewal will come before the board as business in a future meeting; Lighten requested that negotiators preserve the senior discount and limit or clarify allowable late fees in the contract.
