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Proposed Recycle Fees Nixed
The Sidney City Council approved an increase in landfill rates designed to cover costs of improvements and planning for future investments.
City Manager Ed Sadler said the proposal changes the rate structure so that business and residential customers pay the same per-ton rate. In his memo to city council, Sadler said that rates have remained the same since 2013, “and rate revenue has stayed stable at $1,100,000 for that time frame.” He added that the City began paying on new debt from the construction of a new disposal cell at the landfill in 2011, costing the landfill fund about $110,000 per year. He said no addition money was set aside for major equipment replacement.
“As costs rose over the last five years, expenditures began outpacing revenue,” Sadler said in the memo.
The City Council has recently approved pursuing a new baler and shredder in the May 22 meeting. The shredder is expected to cost about $651,000 and the compactor $652,000. Purchasing a shredder and baler would extend the life of the landfill cell, according to discussion in the May 22 meeting. Bond payments for the new equipment are estimated by Sadler at $175,000 per year for 10 years. He said the restructuring of fees could “realistically raise $220,000 per year in new revenue considering anticipated changes in
Sidney.”
He said the rate for county residents will be the same as for Sidney residents.
“This is a regional landfill,” he said.
The rates as Sadler presented included a $10 monthly fee for recycling.
“It is still cheaper than you putting it in the trash,” he said.
Councilman Wendall Gaston suggested waiving the cardboard fee for now.
“The $500 is not as valuable as the space we save,” he said.
Sadler said the fee would not cover much of the cost and amounted to little more than a fee for service. The monthly recycling fee was removed by the approved rate structure.
Sadler said the new rates would not go be effective until September.
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