Residents, Businesses to Pay Less for Trash Collection

The city’s trash haulers are getting a raise, but residents and businesses will still see a reduction in their garbage fees.

The City Council has voted to trim garbage collection rates, reflecting a reduction in county landfill fees.

Residents will see their bills drop to $11.79 from $12.75. Commercial rates will be adjusted according to weight and other factors.

Officials said the new rates will be retroactive to April 1, when the county announced lower landfill fees.

Garbage fees rose last year to help compensate for money the county lost when it declared bankruptcy in 1994.

“We did increase fees last year, and that was a difficult decision,” Councilman Don Griffin said.

“We only passed on the real cost of the service. . . . We are now making a positive change for our citizens.”

The city’s two trash haulers, Park Disposal and CR&R; Transfer, requested an increase of 1% for services, which officials also granted.

Council members said they were grateful that the companies agreed to do without an increase last year.

Operations Manager Paul De Pietro said the changes are effective until July 1997.