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Prattville council adopts $5 monthly sanitation rate increase to shore up enterprise fund
Summary
The council adopted an ordinance to raise the monthly sanitation fee by $5 (about a 23% increase relative to 2021), citing higher tipping fees, maintenance and equipment costs and an enterprise fund shortfall. Councilors discussed impacts on seniors and comparisons with county rates.
Prattville's City Council on Wednesday approved an amendment to the city code raising sanitation (solid-waste) rates by $5 per month, a change the council and staff said is necessary to keep the sanitation enterprise fund solvent.
Councilors were shown a presentation that identified the sanitation enterprise fund's annual revenue (about $3,760,000) and a current shortfall of roughly $169,000. The presentation cited a 13% increase in contracted tipping fees since 2021, a 40% rise in fleet maintenance costs, and a 30—235% jump in new-equipment prices as drivers of the proposed increase. As presented, the $5 increment represents about a 23% increase versus the 2021 rate of $21.
Councilors pressed staff for context and for options to lessen the burden on residents with fixed incomes. "How do we make them feel better and understand?" asked a councilor during discussion of impacts on seniors and low-income households. Councilors discussed phasing smaller, more frequent adjustments in future budget cycles.
Councilor Langley praised the sanitation team for on-the-ground work. "I would like to say... thank you to Tracy Simpson, our sanitation department head. He does a phenomenal job," Langley said, attributing the department's ability to do repairs in-house as a cost-saving measure.
The ordinance was adopted by voice vote after discussion. The council and staff said the rate study underpinning the proposal had been reviewed in public committee meetings before the vote. The measure takes effect as provided in the ordinance and will be reflected in upcoming billing cycles.
