John Reynolds
The State Journal-Register
A proposal to increase what people pay for waste hauling in Springfield could be before the city council as early as next week.
Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath said Friday he plans to introduce an amendment to the city’s waste-hauling ordinance that would raise the cap on rates, meaning haulers could increase what they charge. Redpath declined to say how much higher the cap would be because other aldermen hadn’t seen his proposal.
The city council sets the maximum rates that waste haulers operating in Springfield can charge, which were most recently raised in 2003. At an $11.25-per-month charge for one garbage can plus recyclables and $13.75 for two containers plus recyclables, weekly waste-collection rates in Springfield are lower than what’s charged elsewhere in Sangamon County.
Representatives from the four private waste-hauling companies that serve Springfield — Lake Area, Illini Disposal, Waste Management and Republic Services — have noted that in other Sangamon County communities, rates are more in the range of about $18 a month for collection.
Redpath said aldermen could introduce additional amendments.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin said he wants any amended ordinance addressing a rate increase to include a section that would provide for a free recycling drop-off station that’s available to all city residents.
“The economics may justify raising the rates, but we will lose leverage with the waste haulers if we give them a higher rate without a community recycling drop-off station,” McMenamin said.
Lake Area Disposal, which last year closed its recycling drop-off area for all of Springfield, reopened it in April, but for the company’s customers only. Changes to the waste-hauling ordinance could come up for discussion at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in the council chamber at Municipal Center West. A final vote would be taken at a later date.
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 