PORT ANGELES — A proposal to lower garbage hauling fees for those who don’t recycle may soon be tossed out.
The Port Angeles Utility Advisory Committee voted 3-1 Tuesday to recommend that the City Council not adopt the staff proposal.
Each City Council member who sits on the committee — Mayor Dan Di Guilio and members Brooke Nelson and Cherie Kidd — voted against the idea.
The motivation behind their votes appeared to be a lack of public support and the appearance that the city wouldn’t be supporting recycling if adopted.
But none appeared opposed to the idea. And if the proposal is struck by the council, there is support for broaching the issue again in the future.
“We just need more time to massage it and work with them [residents],” said Kidd.
Currently, the city charges $27.20 per month for weekly garbage and recycling pickup and $19.75 for biweekly pickup.
The staff have proposed keeping the charge the same for those with recycling bins and lowering it to $23.35 and $15.90 per month for those who only use the garbage-hauling service.
The reason was to reflect the actual cost of the service in the bills, staff said.
Larry Dunbar, deputy power systems director, said recycling has been on the decline even though more people have recycling bins.
He suggested that separating the rates may lead to more use of the recycling bins since there would be another charge for having them.
Committee member Dean Reed voted against the motion.
The council will consider what to do with garbage and recycling rates Tuesday. Council members also will consider adopting a $5.50-per-month electric rate increase then.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
