ASHTABULA — City residents soon will discover higher fuel prices means higher bills for trash collection.
City Council voted 5-2 Monday night to adopt an ordinance that will allow the cost for trash pickup to fluctuate depending on the average cost of diesel fuel. As a result, residents will pay about $2 more each month — at least to start out.
“Fuel surcharge is a variable, not a fixed amount,” President Rodger Altier said. “It could be higher or lower.”
Councilmen Bernie Roskovics and Joseph Rose cast the ‘no’ votes.
City Auditor Michael Zullo said the change is necessary to help the sanitation department cope with the increased cost of diesel fuel.
Zullo praised city sanitation crews for the great job they do, but he said a fuel surcharge is just a part of the solution.
The city last raised garbage fees two years ago, but the steady increase in fuel prices since then has put a strain on the city’s budget, Zullo said.
Council also discussed recycling, and how the city can improve its recycling efforts. At last week’s meeting, Dom Iarocci, superintendent of public services, said he could not find a buyer for plastics and cardboard. Therefore, those two items were being taken to the landfill even though many residents took time to separate them for the recycling center.
“I’m not trying to deceive the public,” Iarocci said. “I’m trying to find a buyer.”
Iarocci explained the city receives good money for aluminum and tin, but it’s been difficult finding a company to take plastic. Some companies even charge to take plastic, he said.
“I absolutely want to recycle,” he said. “I’m looking for places to take stuff.”
Iarocci is meeting with Recycle America on Thursday about plastics and cardboard.
City Manager Anthony Cantagallo said the city will receive 10 more recycling bins with advertising on them before winter.
Iarocci said he and Cantagallo are talking about a newspaper binding and pickup program.
Janice Switzer, program manager at Ashtabula County Department of Environmental Services recycling and litter prevention, then went to the podium and talked about recycling.
She said the city could get a baler at no cost from a company that would then buy baled plastic and cardboard. All the city would have to do is provide the labor, she said.
Cantagallo asked her to repeat the “no cost” part.
“As long as you market the material to the person who gives you the baler, there’s no cost,” Switzer said. “Then you could sell your plastic and cardboard.”
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