Aurora garbage stickers get thumbs up
Aurora residents likely will retain the current garbage sticker program they use now, as well as pay a mandatory $3 monthly recycling fee.
The city's current five-year garbage contract with Allied Waste Industries expires at the end of this month.
Rising garbage costs and other issues with the city's recycling and collection services prompted aldermen to consider other options, including installing a recycling fee, raising sticker prices or switching to a mandatory cart program.
Residents now are required to attach a $2.35 waste sticker to each 32-gallon can or bag for collection. Large or bulk items also require a sticker.
That amounts to about $122 if one sticker is used a week.
On Tuesday, the council Committee of the Whole recommended approval of a sticker plan that maintains the $2.35 tag and adds a mandatory $3 monthly recycling fee through 2009.
In 2010-2012, residents will see sticker prices jump to $2.60 and the recycling fee increase to $2.35.
Included in this plan are unlimited unbundled brush pickup and eight-week fall leaf pickup, as well as options for garbage carts. If residents use a sticker a week, the plan could cost them about $158 a year.
The pros of this plan, city leaders say, are it encourages timely trash disposal with the lowest user waste disposal cost, it's voluntary; residents can choose other trash options, and it provides users choices based on individual needs.
It also equalizes the cost of collection services, such as recycling, leaf and brush pickup and Christmas tree pickup.
The con, they say, is it includes a mandatory recycling fee.
Several aldermen Tuesday questioned how the city will collect that fee.
Mayor Tom Weisner said aldermen next week will discuss options, such as tacking it onto the resident's water bill or once-or-twice-a-year billing.
Alderman Stephanie Kifowit said she's concerned the city may end up spending more trying to collect fees if, for example, residents decide not to pay it.
City leaders say the fee wouldn't be effective until January so there's time to figure that out.
Officials may also consider a monthly fee senior discount. They'll tackle the issue again at the next city council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.