The cost of garbage collection in the city is going up.
At a Sept. 4 in-camera meeting, council approved the extension of the Davies Sales and Service contract for an additional year (until Jan 31, 2014) and referred the requested increase in the value of the contract to 2013 budget discussions.
Council increased the contractor rate from $50 to $58.25 per household, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013.
The discussions have not happened but the contractor was looking for compensation to help offset the increases in tipping fees and fuel.
The increase in fuel and tipping fees has increased the cost of the service by $10,766 per year (Fuel costs have increased $1,666 per year, while tipping fees have increased $9,100).
The adjustment in fees was handled by increasing the annual flat rate per household (current contractor rate $50) by $8.25 per year. The per bag sticker prices remain the same.
“This would ensure that incremental costs would be recovered with a 10 per cent administrative fee increase,” read a city staff report. “This proposed increase would be implemented January 2014 via a new Waste Collection Service and Rate Bylaw.”
There has not been an increase to fees since 2009 while tipping fees and fuel costs have increased over the past five years.
Although any increase in fees is undesirable to the user, read a city staff report, the user is still receiving the service at a competitive rate based on rates of neighbouring municipalities (Warfield $125, Trail $110, Fruitvale $50 plus $2.50 per bag).
Note
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) has notified the city that as of May 2014 they will be turning over the recycling collection program to Multi-Material B.C.
In conjunction with this the RDKB will also be updating the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan in 2014.
The updated plan will include options for a combined green bin and garbage collection program and participation may be offered to East End communities like Rossland, with the goal to provide cost savings to each municipality.