FAIRHOPE – Residents and businesses in Fairhope will start paying more for garbage collection starting April 1 under a proposal to be voted on Monday, Feb. 22.
Under the plan, residential rates would increase from $15.80 a month to $20. Business fees would increase from $20.26 to $25.
Under the budget passed at the Feb. 8 meeting, the city would run a deficit of about $933,000 for garbage collection in the next year under the current fees, Jack Burrell, council president, said.
All five council members said at the Feb. 8 work session that they supported the increase. Burrell said the council would prepare a resolution increasing the rates and vote on the plan at the Feb. 22 meeting. The increase would go into effect April 1.
Richard Johnson, Fairhope public works director, said few cities still collect garbage twice a week, along with weekly recycling and yard trash pickups, as Fairhope does. He said Saraland charges $20.20 for the same service. Gulf Shores also picks up garbage twice a week south of Second Avenue for $21.61.
“Those are really the only two neighboring communities that are identical in services and you can see what they’re charging,” Johnson told council members.
Johnson said two recommendations by his department called for gradual increases to $20 over three or four years.
Councilman Jimmy Conyers said the city should go ahead and increase to the amount needed to pay for the service.
“I think we need to get the different utilities more in sync with what they are,” Conyers said. “You charge more in one area and then you offset in a different area. They ought to all be closer to level funding in my mind. I would say let’s just move it up. I would be in favor of going to once a week (collection), but nobody else wants to do that, so just charge the $4.20 extra and get it to an even $20 and move on.”
Councilman Corey Martin said the fees should match the cost of services.
“It’s the market price and from what we’re looking at, we’re doing a lot more work for a lot less money than other municipalities,” Martin said. “So, it only makes sense. We can’t continue to grow at the deficit rate that we’re growing, and I think the community can understand that.”
Councilman Kevin Boone also said a one-time increase would be better for residents and the city.
“If I’ve got to get shot, I’d rather get one to the head than five to the stomach, so I’d like to get it over with,” Boone said. “I kind of agree with Councilman Conyers. Let’s just do it.”
The city increased fees from $12.80 a month in 2017, but Johnson said the change was not enough to keep up with costs at that time.
Councilman Robert Brown said funding for sanitation needs to be brought up to date.
“I think this department has been underfunded for years and we’ve had this discussion in years past, but it’s past time to increase the rates,” Brown said.
