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Local News
New year, new trash rate
December 05, 2008 at 12:13 pm
By RYAN HORNS
Council approves hike
Despite some complaints, Marysville’s future trash fees will officially change in January.
“We’re disappointed,” resident Crista Miller, who became a vocal opponent of the changes, said. “But it is the way it has to be.”
A full examination of rates came up earlier this year after the city trash provider raised its price tag on Marysville. The reason was blamed on the economy and the rising cost of fuel. The increase meant a 23 percent jump for residents.
After reviewing several different rate structure options — actually about 30 — the city presented a survey for the public to pick the best one. More than 500 residents finally decided that a flat rate fee, with a senior discount and bulk trash pickup was the best way to go.
Miller and fellow resident Kristy Dearing came to Marysville City Council’s last meeting in November to criticize the flat rate option. They felt those citizens generating the most garbage would end up paying the least. People placing one can by the curb each week would see a much more significant rate hike.
At Thursday night’s council meeting, member Dan Fogt said that the issue of trash collection has been a tough one, with many different facets involved in pleasing everyone. Ultimately, he said the city sanitation department “has to be self-supporting.”
The department’s budget was positive for many years, Fogt said, but recently the revenue has gone down too far. With the possibility of fuel prices going back up, the economy has forced the trash collection fee increases.
“It’s not an exact science,” Fogt said about the flat rate option.
Fogt also explained that the fees residents pay are not just for trash pickup. The fees pay for the trucks to collect the trash, for leaf removal in the fall, for the disposal of branches after storms and also getting rid of yard waste.
He said even if residents are only putting out a small amount of garbage, they are still benefiting from the fees.
Council president John Gore added that the city is actually charged by the household. So it does not matter if someone puts one can outside the house or three, the city is still charged. There are now 5,200 households under the city trash service, which is much greater than it has ever been.
Gore said the trash fee is part of a larger issue in Marysville — the city is growing. Everyone on council and the administration are trying hard to keep the small town feel, but it is hard within a mounting population.
He said the police department is trying to support 28 officers inside a small space at City Hall. There is only one fire station for thousands of homes.
“There are a lot of issues facing this city,” Gore said. “(Trash fees) just happened to be the first one.”
Gore said what is important to consider is that the main reason council members have heard from so many residents about the trash issue is because city administration made a point to include everyone early on. He said they brought it to everyone’s attention and asked for their opinions through surveys, information posted on-line and early notification - which was not always the case before.
“We haven’t had too many opportunities like this in the past,” he said.
Referring to the past administration’s abrupt closing of the East Fifth Street railroad crossing years ago, Gore said residents discovered “one day it’s there and the next day it’s not.”
Some members of council still were not convinced the flat rate option was for the best.
Councilman Mark Reams reiterated that he received a lot of complaints about the flat rate.
“I have never gotten that many calls about any topic,” he said.
Complaints centered upon the fact that the residents generating the lowest amount of trash will be getting the largest increase. He said some people will be getting a 60 percent trash fee increase, while others will have none.
“I’m really not in favor of the proposal,” he said.
Reams ended up being the only council member to vote against the legislation.
Councilman John Marshall said that he basically agreed with Reams, because enacting a “sliding scale” on trash fees did not make sense.
“Somebody has to subsidize somebody else to make it work,” he said.
But Marshall said the citizen response to the survey made his direction on council very clear. The majority of residents prefer the flat rate fee.
In response to a question from councilman Nevin Taylor, city administrator Jillian Froment said the trash contract will expire in two years. In that time the city has made a commitment to monitor the fees and the way the service is working for changes in the future.
Gore also commended Miller for her efforts to make a difference by coming to city council with her concerns.
“You really did your homework,” Gore said. “I commend you for that. Please do not stop. We need people like you.”
After the meeting was over, Miller said she understood that it was a difficult decision for council to make and that there were few other options for them.
“We’ll be back in two years,” Dearing said.
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