Fulton Proposing Rate Increase For Trash Pickup

FULTON, NY – For the first time in five years, the city of Fulton is proposing a rate increase for its garbage and refuse hauling.

“There has not been a rate increase since 2003,” said Fulton Mayor Ronald Woodward. “With the increases we’ve seen in fuel prices, tipping fees and insurance, we had to look at it.”

Public Works Commissioner Dan O’Brien explained that the city’s garbage department is set up to be self-sufficient in both operating costs and equipment purchases. For the past few years, he said the department’s funds have been depleting because of increased costs.

“We are trying to avoid a deficit,” O’Brien said. “What we are seeing is that what we did have in the garbage account is being depleted to cover our operating costs. … It is a trend. If it continues, in the next year or so, we would see a deficit and we won’t be self supporting.”

Garbage rates in the city are currently set at $29.01 per quarter. Woodward noted that the approximate $10 proposed increase to $39 per quarter would still come in far below the rates set for neighboring municipalities that manage garbage pickup or contract with a private hauler.

O’Brien said he has done cost comparisons both in and out of state as the city examined the proposed increase. Citing examples, he said quarterly rates in other areas show Oswego city residents paying $61.56 per quarter, Oneida city residents paying $90 per quarter and Rochester city residents pay $85.75.

“Some have municipal services and some use a private hauler,” O’Brien said. “The only place I found even close to a cost as low as ours is Fulton, Missouri. They charge $36 per quarter but only accept one can. If residents put out two cans, the cost doubles.”

Woodward noted that the city has examined the rates that would be available to Fulton through a private company. He said that the costs would come in above what the city’s costs would be for the same service, however, because it would require a municipal contract.

“Because it is a municipal contract, they would have to pay their employees a prevailing wage,” Woodward said. O’Brien noted that the wage would likely be more than Fulton pays its own employees because it would not be covered through a contract or managed by negotiations.

Woodward noted that the city shares its drivers and laborers who manage trash removal during the winter months for snow removal.

“We wouldn’t be able to eliminate the employees even if we went to a private company because we need those people for snow removal,” he said. “However, the difference in costs to keep them on staff would shift to property taxes.”

Woodward noted that the proposed increase is expected to bring sufficient revenue in for the department for at least the next three years.

“Plus, if the department needs a piece of equipment, it will be able to buy it,” he said.

O’Brien and Woodward both stressed that residents can help the city bring in additional revenue for the department simply by keeping recyclable materials loose in a recycling bin at the curb, rather than in bags.

Fulton hauls its recyclable materials to a company in Syracuse that employs a single stream process of sorting. Materials are loaded onto a conveyor belt and automatically sorted by machines. Woodward noted that bagged materials are a hindrance to that process.

Since the city transitioned to a single stream process, it has made several efforts to make the public aware of the need to keep materials loose. O’Brien estimated, however, that approximately 30 percent of the city’s residents put the materials loose in a can.

“I would say about 60 to 70 percent of residents still put recyclables in bags,” O’Brien said.

“Single stream is a good process,” Woodward said. “But the bags mess the process up. As a result, the company has to pay employees to take care of bags.” He noted that single stream is also efficient on the city’s end, as workers can dump all materials into one truck, rather than having to separate materials at the curb.

“We could keep costs down without bags,” he said. “It is just a matter of people getting used to it. They would also save money on bags and not have to go through the process of separating recyclables. The single stream process takes it all at the same time. It is a one-shot deal.”

Once the city hauls in primarily loose materials, O’Brien said that recyclables will transition to a revenue stream for the city.

“If we can get to a cleaner stream, we would end up having revenue for our recyclables,” he said. “We have to ask people to pay more for garbage but they could help us not do that again in a couple years by helping us bring in that revenue.”

The Fulton Common Council is slated discuss the matter this evening and vote to advertise for a public hearing on the proposed increase. missing or outdated ad config

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