Cost rises again in Clintonville
By Bert Lehman
Clintonville residents who participate in the city’s garbage and recycling service will see another fee increase starting Nov. 1.
The increase from $120 to $132.58 per year was approved by the Clintonville City Council by a vote of 9-1 on Sept. 11. Alderman Brad Rokus voted no.
The fee increase was recommended by the city’s finance committee, which discussed the topic on Sept. 10.
At the finance committee meeting, Clintonville City Administrator Sharon Eveland said the city was notified by Harter’s Fox Valley Disposal that it will increase the charge to the city for garbage and recycling service by 2 percent.
“That is the maximum allowed under the contract,” Eveland said.
In 2017, the city increased the fee charged to residents who use the service to cover a financial shortfall that the city was facing regarding the service.
Eveland said the city is projecting a deficit in the program again in 2018.
“In essence our [garbage and recycling] program is in the negative,” Eveland said.
Eveland proposed the city once again increase the fee that residents pay for garbage and recycling pickup. This would include an increase to the administrative fee the city charges. She recommended increasing the fee from $120 per year to $132 per year.
If Clintonville increases its fees this year, the city probably will not need to raise them again next year if the garbage company increases another 2 percent next year, according to Eveland.
She said the proposed increase would help build a financial surplus in the program.
Committee member Brandon Braden asked if it was possible to increase the fee to $135 per year in order to pad the account until the city has a better understanding of the costs of the program. He added that the fee could be reduced once the program is financially solid.
Eveland recommended against that because going to $132 is already a large increase.
“I don’t want to increase fees on these services anymore than we have to,” Eveland said. “I’m confident that we’re going to be able to do what we need to do with this rate.”
The committee approved recommending to the Clintonville City Council that the garbage and recycling fee be increased to $132.58. Rokus voted no.
At the Sept. 11 city council meeting, the council also approved the first reading of Ordinance 1146 – Placement and removal time of garbage and recycling carts.
This ordinance reads, “Carts shall be placed out for collection no earlier than 6:30 a.m. on the day prior to day of customary collection and carts shall be removed from the right-of-way no later than 10 a.m. the day after collection.”