At a regular meeting that lasted fewer than 10 minutes Tuesday the Jefferson city council took the first step in raising the fee for picking up trash and recycling items by 5 percent. The council approved the first reading of the necessary ordinance.
The action was recommended by the council’s sanitation committee. According to city administrator Mike Palmer, the rates haven’t been increased in five or six years. No other justification for the increase was provided.
The trash collection fee will increase from $9.95 monthly to $10.45. The recycling fee will increase from $3.50 to $3.70. Those charges are included on water bills. A $2.50 landfill fee is also included on the water bill; that fee is not increasing.
According to city staff, residents will first see the increase on their December or January water bill. Charges other than water/sewer will be $16.65 per month.
The council also approved the second reading of an ordinance eliminating voting wards. The council must approve one more reading and then publish the ordinance before it goes into effect. It will not apply to the Nov. 8 general election.
