Mayor Alvin Brown proposes to eliminate four positions in the Public Works Department solid waste disposal operation.
The cuts are included in the 415-page proposed budget submitted to City Council.
If approved, business and property owners might need to hire a private company or companies to provide the service.
City Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Karen Bowling said it costs $404,195 per year to pick up trash and garbage six days a week from 124 Downtown business and property owners.
The City charges each of those customers $89.91 per quarter, slightly less than $360 a year.
That generates only $44,595.36, leaving a gap of $359,599.64 that the City has been subsidizing.
That’s why the line item for Downtown solid waste collection made the list for possible elimination, she said. In addition to the four salaries, the City also would save the cost for three collection trucks, fuel and disposal fees.
Bowling said if collection is switched to private providers, the cost for each customer could increase from about $400 a year to $400 a month.
At Large Group 2 Council member John Crescimbeni said he has been concerned about the City subsidizing Downtown solid trash collection since 2010, when legislation was enacted to increase the solid waste fee for residential customers to meet the City’s cost to provide collection.
“I have no problem providing the service, but I think the user should pay for the service. It’s not the taxpayers’ garbage, it’s the restaurant’s garbage,” said Crescimbeni.
Downtown Vision Inc. Executive Director Terry Lorince said switching from one provider to possibly several, based on selections made by individual businesses, could create issues when it comes to waste collection.
Another consideration is that if the City chooses to cease collecting trash Downtown, the alternative has to be in place by Oct. 1 when the new budget year begins.
“Everyone has different trash needs. Some businesses close at 2 p.m. and some close at 2 a.m. Our challenge is to figure out how to keep the sidewalks clean. We only have a short time to look at options,” she said.
“We need to give the City the opportunity to explain this to the business owners and property owners. We’re really interested in hearing from the City how this would work,” she said.
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