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Fitchburg staff recommends a modest 1.7% increase to 2027 curbside rate; formal resolution scheduled next month
Summary
City staff presented a rate analysis that recommends raising the monthly solid‑waste collection fee from $2.36 to $2.40 for 2027 to cover higher contractual costs while drawing roughly $30,000 from the fund balance; a formal resolution will be voted on next month.
Ben, a city environmental/stormwater staff member, presented the commission with the draft rate analysis for the city’s contracted refuse, recycling and related services and recommended a $2.40 monthly unit charge for 2027, about a 1.7% increase from the current $2.36 rate.
Ben said the analysis starts with the Palletary contract’s unit costs and projects roughly 6,650 customers on the contract at the start of 2027 and about 6,750 by year‑end. Multiplying weekly collection unit costs by the number of enrolled units and adding city program costs — annual shred events, the food‑scrap drop‑off program, sharps and tire disposal, yard‑waste processing with Purple Cow, and a $30,000 contingency for uncertain fuel surcharges — produces total contractual and program costs approaching $1.6 million.
“To keep next year’s change small while we work down an elevated fund balance, I’m recommending the $2.40 rate,” Ben said, adding that adopting this figure would require applying about $30,000 from the reserve and would leave the fund balance near 29% of the budget. He explained the city uses a multi‑year view to smooth increases and that the contract provider bills on actual collected units, meaning any enrollment over/under projections is reconciled during the contract period.
Commissioners asked for clarification on how the city defines a “unit” (Ben said a single‑family dwelling equals one unit, duplexes count per unit, and fourplexes count as four) and whether route‑level reporting from the contractor is available; Ben said he will ask Palletary whether route‑level breakdowns are possible to support targeted outreach and budgeting accuracy.
The commission did not take a final vote at the meeting; Ben said staff will present a resolution to formally set the 2027 rate for vote next month.
What’s next: The commission will consider a formal resolution next month to adopt the 2027 rate. If approved, staff will implement billing based on the adopted per‑unit monthly fee.
