Cape City Council rejects trash collection rate increase

Just 15 cents could be the difference Cape Girardeau residents would see on their city utility service bill come July 1 should a proposed increase in trash collection charges come to fruition.

The city council on Monday approved the first reading of an ordinance that would lessen sewer charges by $1 per customer each month, but a proposed 85 cent increase for solid waste disposal did not fare as well.

The council must pass its yearly operating budget before July 1 and the proposed changes in rates are part of the budgeting process. At an April 26 council retreat, most changes to the budget were vetted, but one for a trash rate increase was not, which has some members of the council reluctant to support it.

"I would think we would have discussed it there," Councilman Trent Summers said Monday.

The council instead has had the proposal since Friday when they received their packets for Monday's meeting.

Summers, Councilwoman Meg Davis and Councilman Wayne Bowen all expressed concerns that the decision on a trash rate increase was about to be made "too last-minute," as Bowen put it, and said that city staff should give the council more information before a vote is taken. One was held Monday, with Mayor Harry Rediger, Bowen and Councilman John Voss approving the increase. Summers and Davis voted "no."

The city charter allows only for an ordinance to be passed with four votes. Councilwoman Loretta Schneider and Councilman Mark Lanzotti were absent from Monday's meeting.

City manager Scott Meyer said the information about trash rates came later because the money used to operate the city's trash disposal process are "enterprise funds," which traditionally are evaluated last in the budgeting process.

The reason for the proposed increase, according to officials, is the city is incurring increased fleet maintenance costs along with higher hauling and disposal costs. The proposal, if approved, would set the residential solid waste charge at $18.35 per month. The current charge is $17.50.

Rediger and Voss argued for the passage of the increase, Rediger because he said he sees no waste of funds in the way the city's solid waste disposal system is being used, and Voss because he said he does not think a projected shortage of money for the system's operation should be covered with emergency funds. City finance director John Richbourg told the council the enterprise fund's emergency reserves likely would be affected for several years if the council does not approve the rate increase.

Voss also pointed out the city's overall spending is proposed to be reduced in the next year.

Trash collection rates increased last year after two years of no change.

Since the council did not pass the first reading of the ordinance Monday, the ordinance would have to be passed as an emergency ordinance during the council's meeting June 17.

The council unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance that could bring about a $1 reduction in sewer rates after July 1. The proposal for a reduced rate was a result of the city analyzing how bills could be lowered once a significant portion of the new wastewater treatment plant was completed. The plant is under construction and set to be finished next summer. The new rate would be $12.19 per month.

eragan@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.