Rolling Meadows garbage rates to rise

Rolling Meadows residents likely will face a rate increase in what they pay for public refuse service of about $7.44 annually per household effective Feb. 1.

City council members at this week's meeting examined a proposed rate increase that amounts to an additional 62 cent monthly charge to a resident's utility bill. Residents currently pay a residential garbage fee of $27.46 per month; the new rate will be $28.08 per month.

Much of the increase is due to an increase in cost from Groot Recycling, officials said, but Fourth Ward Alderman Brad Judd noted that the increase is not completely due to Groot. Officials said the difference is there to help the fund to stop operating at a deficit as it has been for the past few years.

The proposed refuse rate increase will be revisited Tuesday after language is rewritten to clarify that the increase is not due completely to increases passed along by Groot Recycling.

Rolling Meadows is one of the few Northwest suburbs that hasn't privatized its garbage pickup, deciding to stick with its refuse service as a function of its public works department after surveying area towns on their privatized service in July of this year.

City officials determined they were providing more refuse services to residents than their neighbors with privatized service after reviewing the survey results.

Highlights of Rolling Meadows' current system include unlimited yard waste collection, back door pickup for handicapped residents and seniors, and special refuse collections after floods or power outages. Although the current service is said to offer more to residents than the privatized version, it is still less than the city's twice-weekly service, which was discontinued some time ago.