City Residential Garbage On Tap Monday Night: Residential Rates May Be Heading Up – Way Up
Posted August 19, 2019 02:10 am
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City Residential Garbage On Tap Monday Night:
Residential Rates May Be Heading Up – Way Up
August 19, 2019
LAKE CITY, FL – This evening, the City Council may be deciding whether to end Waste Pro's exclusive franchise for roll off and commercial waste. If exclusivity is denied, City residents can expect a rate increase of up to 28%, or more if Waste Pro's contract is not renewed.
Waste Pro is the City's trash collector. Its contract is up for renewal. Like its contract with the County, Waste Pro's contract with Lake City gives it the exclusive franchise for also collecting commercial waste and construction and demolition debris [the stuff you see in the big roll off containers].
It is a common practice in the industry that the commercial side of the carting industry is used to subsidize residential pickups.
Lake City has approximately 3,000 residential pickup stops. Residential customers receive what is known in the industry and 1 – 1 – and 1: 1 trash pickup, 1 yard waste pickup, and 1 recycling pickup per week.
The current cost to Lake City residents for the service is $12.56 per month.
If the City Council renews the Waste Pro contract as is, the new proposed residential rate will go up 3%, or 38 cents, to $12.94 a month.
So, What's the Problem?
City Mngr Joe Helfenberger will be presenting
options.
For years, Waste Pro turned a blind eye on independents collecting commercial and construction debris.
For the past year or so, the independents have been becoming more aggressive in going after Waste Pro's business, causing Waste Pro to ask the County and the City to enforce its exclusive franchise agreement.
Some folks aren't in favor of this arrangement and have been pushing back.
County Commissioner Rocky Ford is involved in a carting venture. He and his partner are not thrilled with this arrangement.
There are others who are well connected who are also not thrilled with the Waste Pro arrangement.
The Proposed $12.94 Residential Rate, Is It Fair?
Some of the areas residential rates are:
Jasper: $17.50 – 2 pickups a week, only garbage
White Springs: $19.89 - 1 pick up a week, only garbage
City of Alachua: $15.50 - 1-1-1
Micanopy: $17.71 - 1-1-1
Trenton: $19.37 - 2 pickups a week, only garbage
Epilogue
If the City Manager and Council members use their microphones it could be an interesting conversation.
