Trash bills going down in DeLand

BEACON PHOTO/SARAHROSE MINISTERI

Residents, but not businesses, catch a break

By Jen Horton
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jan 27, 2010 - 10:13:55am

DeLand city commissioners have unanimously approved a contract that will lower the cost of garbage-pickup for residents.

It will also significantly increase the cost for most businesses.

Emerald Waste Services, the current waste-hauler, was the winning bidder to provide garbage-pickup and recycling services for the City of DeLand in the coming year.

The new deal was approved at the commission’s Jan. 20 meeting. The rate changes will take effect March 1, if the City Commission OKs the pact on second reading.

Currently, residents pay $10.71 a month for garbage and yard waste pickup and recycling. The new contract will reduce the monthly cost to $9.86.

There was a pricier option, which commissioners debated. For an additional $1.81 per household per month, Emerald Waste Services would have provided city residents with 64-gallon recycling carts to replace the 18-gallon bins residents now use.

City Manager Michael Pleus told commissioners the larger recycling containers would have furthered DeLand’s goal to be a green city, and might encourage more recycling.

“The cart holds four to five of the 18-gallon bins,” Public Works Director Marvin Williams said. “The footprint of the cart is the same as that of the two 18-gallon bins.”

The footprint, or the amount of garage or driveway space the cart would take up, was a concern. Commissioners were not sure if people had room to hold another large cart in their garages. City ordinances prohibit garbage cans and recycling bins from being visible from the road.

Commissioner Willie Bright said that he, personally, didn’t want a bunch of large garbage carts in his yard.

“I don’t want it,” Bright said.

Commissioner Phil Martin was against the recycling carts, not so much for aesthetic reasons, but because of the cost.

Mayor Bob Apgar talked about the pros and cons. He said when it’s windy in the city, lightweight items, such as newspapers and wrappers, get blown out of the open recycling bins. He said carts might prevent recycling from turning into litter.

In the end, the City Commission agreed to reject recycling toters, for now. Commissioners did request that the option to add the larger recycling carts be available down the road, should the city wish to change its mind.

Also included in the new contract is a provision for Emerald Waste to raise rates during the seven-year contract period, but only if fuel costs rise more than 10 percent in one year.

Emerald Waste could then petition the city for an increase in the fuel portion of the price. Fuel costs account for about $1.40 of the $9.86 monthly fee.

The city asked that the cost be reduced if fuel prices go down more than 10 percent in a year.

City Commissioner Leigh Matusick said it is good to see a decrease in price, with no decrease in quality.

“Everything else we’ve had to decrease has come with a loss of service,” she said. “This is the same level of service we’ve been receiving.”

The only reduction in level of service is that the city will no longer offer vacation credits. In the past, DeLand residents have been able to call and have their trash-pickup fees waived when they would be out of town for several months. That service, however, is costly for both the trash hauler and the city staff to administer. It will no longer be offered.

While residential customers get a bit of a break, commercial prices will increase by an average of about 25 percent.

Commissioner Martin, who owns two businesses on Woodland Boulevard, said business owners will have options for controlling their costs, such as reducing the number of trash pickups.

And, also, better security.

Martin said sometimes people dump residential garbage, and even furniture, in the large commercial trash bins. With costs increasing, Martin asked Public Works Director Williams to explore better security options, such as locking bars for the bins, which might minimize illegal dumping.

City Manager Pleus confirmed commercial accounts can choose the number of times per week their garbage is picked up. They can also choose the size of their bins. Both affect the price.

The ordinance finalizing the new waste-hauling contract will go before the City Commission for a second reading at the Monday, Feb. 1, meeting.

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

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