Jackson Aldermen eye trash and swimming fee increases

Residential trash collection fees in Jackson and the cost to use the city’s swimming pool will be going up in 2020 if the Board of Aldermen approves the fee increases in next year’s city budget.

City staff recommended a $4-per-month increase in residential trash collection fees — from $6 to $10 — and a $1 price increase in the Mondays through Saturdays general admission fee to enter the Jackson City Swimming Pool — from $3 to $4 per person.

In addition, the price of swimming lessons will increase from $20 to $25 next year pending approval by the Board of Aldermen.

Jackson city administrator Jim Roach said the trash collection fee increase is needed in order to “fully fund the solid waste program through fees rather than a combination of fees and a transfer from city sales tax revenues.”

Both Roach and Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs pointed out even at $10, Jackson’s monthly trash collection fee would be less than half of what other communities, including Cape Girardeau, charge for trash collection. Cape Girardeau’s monthly trash collection fee is $21.60.

It costs approximately $580,000 a year to operate Jackson’s solid waste disposal system, which currently operates with an annual deficit of about $150,000. By increasing the monthly residential collection fee to $10, city officials say the system would pay for itself and it might be possible to purchase additional refuse collection equipment.

As for the increase in pool admission fees and the cost of swimming lessons, Jackson Parks and Recreation director Shane Anderson said the price increases are necessary to offset rising costs. The increases were recommended by the Jackson Park Board.

“We haven’t had an admission fee increase in 12 years,” Anderson said, “and it’s been a while since we increased the fees for swimming lessons, as well.”

The admission fee increase will generate nearly $5,500 in additional revenue in 2020, based on this year’s attendance figures.

Anderson said 5,464 swimmers, age 5 and older, entered the pool on Mondays through Saturdays last summer when the admission fee was $3 per person (children age 4 and younger are admitted for free). An additional 1,454 swimmers older than 4 were admitted Sundays in 2019. The Sunday admission fee is $1.50 per person age 5 and older. That fee will not change under the new fee schedule.

Jackson’s swimming complex was opened in 1976 and has three pools — a 244,000-gallon main pool featuring three diving boards (one 10-foot board and two 3-foot boards), a 7,232-gallon junior pool and an 844-gallon wading pool.

The Jackson City Swimming Pool is scheduled to open May 23.

Roach said the proposed trash and pool admission fee increases will be factored into the city’s 2020 operating budget, which will be considered by the aldermen at their Dec. 16 meeting.

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Other Jackson Board of Aldermen business

In addition to discussing fee increases for residential trash collection and swimming pool admission fees, other matters discussed by members of the Jackson Board of Aldermen on Monday night included:

• Ongoing research related to the charter form of municipal government in preparation for a possible ballot vote on the issue in the spring of 2020.
• A review of the Jackson Planning and Zoning Commission’s actions at its Nov. 13 meeting.

During the board’s regular business meeting prior to the study session Monday night, the aldermen:

• Approved a change order in the amount of $11,964 payable to Boulder Construction LLC of Cape Girardeau related to a building repair project at the Jackson power plant maintenance building.
• Approved an ordinance authorizing a contractual agreement with the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce pertaining to a retail development cooperative employment agreement.
• Adopted an ordinance authorizing a contractual agreement with the Cape Girardeau Area Magnet organization relative to the solicitation of business, industry and commerce in the Jackson area.
• Appointed Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs to serve as Jackson’s representative on the Cape Girardeau Area Magnet Board of Directors for a one-year term beginning in January.
• Approved the appointment of Leigha Kopf to the Jackson Community Outreach Board of Directors, filling an unexpired term that ends in May 2022.
• Approved the appointment of Estelee Wood to the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission, filling an unexpired term ending in May.
• Scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Dec. 16 to consider a proposed amendment to chapter 57 of the city’s code of ordinances relative to limited access land development in the City of Jackson.
• Approved a motion to change the date of the Jan. 20 Board of Aldermen study session and regular meeting to Jan. 22, so as not to conflict with the Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance.

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