Special Service Committee requests emergency solid-waste rate increase, keeps reduced senior charge

On Dec. 8, 2025, the Bucyrus Special Service Committee voted to request emergency legislation to raise the city’s solid-waste fee structure, asking that the standard monthly charge increase by $3 and that the senior rate increase by $1.50.

The committee’s discussion began after Service Safety Director Tommy Starner told members that landfill disposal fees and the cost of purchasing a replacement garbage truck have risen and, he said, “a $3 per month raise on solid waste rates is what’s needed to cover all of that.” A committee member moved to request emergency legislation to enact a $3 across-the-board increase; that motion was later amended and the committee approved the final version asking for $3 for regular customers and $1.50 for seniors.

Resident Bill Stucker, who spoke during public comment, said he had not received the draft legislation and that a rate chart he had seen showed seniors moving from $12 to $14 monthly and the elimination of a single-household trash rate. “I don’t have a copy of the new legislation proposal,” Stucker said, adding he had seen seniors listed at $14 and was concerned about impacts to low-income and fixed-income residents. Committee members and staff agreed to correct the draft 900-series rate chart so it accurately reflected the intended figures and to ensure seniors and disabled residents are listed and considered in the final legislation.

The committee discussed the distribution of increases across customer classes and percentage impacts: members noted a flat $3 rise represents a larger percentage increase for seniors than for standard customers and explored alternative splits (for example, $3 regular / $1.50 senior) before settling on the amended proposal. Staff confirmed the increase would go into the solid-waste enterprise fund, which pays for waste collection, trucks and related expenses and cannot legally be used for water or sewer operations.

Ken Long, a resident who later spoke during public comment, urged the committee to secure historical billing and vendor-cost data from their hauler (Rumpke) and to provide clearer public accounting of enterprise-fund receipts and expenditures so residents can see what the rates pay for. Committee members said the auditor’s office can provide historical accounting and that staff would work to make the chart and the proposed ordinance clearer before it appears at a council meeting.

The chair announced the committee vote passed on the amended request. The transcript does not record a full roll-call or a complete final tally in the committee record; staff will draft the ordinance and present the corrected legislation to the full council for consideration.