Boise City Council Considers Fee Increase

The $6.95 monthly fee per recycling household hasn´t changed in 10 years, Public Works Director Bill Ancell said Tuesday. In that decade, the city has subsidized increased costs for landfill dumping and added services — such as collecting old computers — but now the city needs to raise the fee to keep up, he said.

“After 10 years, things just got to the point that we couldn´t absorb the cost anymore,” Ancell said.

Residents who receive a $1 credit for recycling would pay an additional 35 cents a month for a total of $7.30. Residents who don´t recycle now pay $7.95 a month, and that would increase to $8.30.

The increase would produce an estimated $250,000 in new revenue.

The City Council must approve the change and will hold a public hearing on the issue at its Dec. 17 meeting. During a preliminary discussion Tuesday, members said the increase is reasonable.

“I wish everything else I have had only gone up by 5 percent,” Council President Mike Wetherell said.

Even with the increase, Boise´s fee still would be the lowest in the Treasure Valley for comparable services. Only Garden City has a lower rate, but that city´s contract does not allow unlimited trash collection.

The fee increase comes as the city is negotiating with Browning-Ferris International to extend its franchise agreement for another seven years. Council members gave Ancell the go-ahead Tuesday to continue negotiating with BFI, but some of them said they want assurances the company will expand recycling programs and other services when needed.

Councilwoman Carolyn Terteling-Payne said she wants the city to complete an annual performance review. Wetherell said the city should change a policy that makes it more difficult and expensive for apartment tenants to recycle than house-dwellers.

Councilwoman Paula Forney said the seven-year contract is too long. She cast the sole vote against the deal, saying a shorter contract would force BFI to be more accountable to the city and would give the city more flexibility if it were dissatisfied with BFI´s service.

BFI spokeswoman Tanya Mericle said the company is committed to expanding services, such as commercial recycling, as the city requests. - The Idaho Statesman