March 29, 2024

City garbage, recycling rate increasing

In response to a shortfall in revenue and increasing collection costs, a 4.3 percent increase for garbage/recycling rates was approved in Newton. City council passed the resolution, which is expected to generate an additional $32,485 in revenue on Monday.

“The solid waste budget is set up as a user fee for the solid waste and recycling collection, balancing costs and revenues,” interim city administrator Jarrod Wellik said. “The 2015-16 solid waste budget had a loss of $15,387.”

The current solid waste and recycling collection contract with Dodd Trash and Recycling is adjusted every July to reflect the Consumer Price Index-Urban numbers. In July, the CPIU was 1 percent resulting in an increase of $5,800 in the collection contract.

Also, due to a changing recycle market, the city now pays a fee of approximately $900 per month charged by the area recycling center. That change came as a part of the amended residential recycling collection contract approved by council in February.

To address the shortfall, a 50 cent increase from $11.50 per month to $12 per month, or $6 per year per household was proposed and approved. The last increase to the garbage/recycling collection fee was in January at 30 cents per month.

“Over the years we have kept this low and even with this increase we are going to be lower than any other community in central Iowa,” public works director Keith Laube said. “It is checks and balances of the costs. It is not a money maker, it is suppose to break even or try to get a close as we can to break even and last year we fell a little short.”

A recommendation was also passed to decrease golf fees at Westwood Golf Course by $5 for 9-hole players and $4 for $18-hole players. When studying neighboring courses, the city found Westwood is about $5 higher than most. To increase the number of rounds, staff proposed decreasing the rates in hopes of increasing overall usage and rein in a budget deficit that has averaged $19,822 during the past five years.

“During the past several years the rounds of golf played has held steady at about 17,000 to 18,000 rounds per year. Data shows that our course is being under-utilized as we could support 20,000 to 25,000 rounds of golf per year,” Wellik said. “The decrease in fees is aimed at increasing the golf play of new golfers, casual golfers and golfers who frequent many courses.”

Along with lowering the rates, council approved a change to Friday rates to a weekday rate, instead of a weekend rate. The breakdown of the decreased rates has 9-hole rates at $15 for walkers and $25 with a cart rental on weekdays and weekend rates at $20 for walkers and $30 with a cart rental.

Eighteen-hole rates on weekdays will be $21 for walkers and $35 with a cart rental and $26 for walkers and $40 with a cart rental on the weekend.

“We have estimated that the above changes will increase the number of rounds being played by 770 rounds per year and bring in a net $10,000,” Wellik said. “To obtain an additional 700 rounds of golf we will need to have an average daily increase of about five rounds of golf from May through September.”

Other fee increases or changes will take place at the Woodland Shelter with the rental fee increasing from $30 to $35, the addition of an adult/toddler time in the shallow end of the pool from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Maytag Pool for $2 per person and a new fee of $150 for the disinterment of a Columbarium niche at city cemeteries.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com