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Broken Bow council opens hearing on trash-assessment ordinance after sanitation provider requests rate increase
Summary
The council opened a public hearing May 12 on Ordinance 1308 to add mandatory monthly trash assessments to utility bills after S&L Sanitation requested a $2/month residential and $4/month business increase; the council declined to waive readings and conducted a first reading, asking staff and legal to review contract language about tipping fees.
The Broken Bow City Council on May 12 opened a public hearing on Ordinance 1308, which would establish mandatory monthly trash assessments on utility bills for properties inside the city.
Joseph Roach of S&L Sanitation told the council the company is requesting a $2-per-month increase for residential service and $4-per-month increases for small, medium and large businesses. Roach attributed the request to higher tipping fees at the Custer Transfer Station and rising fuel costs, saying fuel costs rose from about $3.34 per gallon when he took over the business to about $5.25 per gallon.
Mayor Rod Sonnichsen and council members discussed the history of landfill rate increases that affect the city’s hauler. Councilmember Paul Holland asked whether the current contract between S&L and the city permits future tipping-fee increases; City Attorney Jason White agreed to review the contract and report back to the council.
To allow time for that review, the council voted unanimously not to waive the ordinance’s required three readings (motion by Russ Smith, seconded by Joe Wamsley). City Clerk Jennifer Waterhouse performed the ordinance’s first reading. No final vote on the ordinance was taken at the meeting.
The mayor said he favored allowing the council time to gather more information before acting. The council’s decision preserves the standard multi-reading process for municipal ordinances and gives staff and legal time to clarify contract language and financial impacts for ratepayers.
What happens next: City staff and the city attorney will examine the sanitation contract and return with findings at a future council meeting, and the council could schedule subsequent readings of Ordinance 1308 if they choose to proceed.
