Garbage rate hike set for 3rd reading

Garbage rate hike set for 3rd reading

Ordinance on $ 1- permonth increase in sanitation set for council meeting this afternoon

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At the West Memphis City Council’s March 3 meeting, council heard a second reading on an ordinance raising residential sanitation fees by one dollar a month. Landfill fees charged to the city were raised two dollars per ton in 2014, but the city has resisted any increase in the charges until now.

The idea was discussed, first in the Public Works Commission beginning late last year, and more recently within the City Council.

“We are having a second reading asking you to raise garbage fees a dollar,” Johnson reminded the council. “Through the planning and development district and the solid waste district, they raised the tipping fees and the landfill on us. We had no say so about it.”

The new rate pending final approval from City Council is $16.50 per month. There are approximately 9,100 residential customers in West Memphis and the increase would generate about $110,000 annually.

Public Works chairman Ramona Taylor asked the council if anyone had heard any feedback. Both Councilor Lorraine Robinson and Mayor Johnson specifically said they hadn’t heard a word.

During the March 3 meeting, Mayor Bill Johnson noted that neither he nor anyone on the council had received any feedback from the public, positive or nega- tive, during the process.

“I haven’t had anybody say a word to me,” said Johnson.

A third and final reading on the ordinance is set for today’s City Council meeting, 1:30 p.m. at West Memphis City Hall.

By John Rech