Members want rates adjusted to reflect residents’ actual use

By Ted Schnell • BocaJump | Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Elgin City Council on Wednesday granted Waste Management a two-year contract extension that will cost the city about $5 million, but the move has some on the council thinking they should dump the city’s flat rate to favor singles and seniors who generate less refuse.

The contract extension in itself is unique because the city’s contract with Waste Management has not yet expired, City Manager Sean Stegall said Monday, explaining why the city is not bidding out the contract. That will not happen for another two years, when the extension expired.

In the meantime, council members expressed their desire to end the flat rate residents began paying this year in favor of rates broken down so those who generate less trash will pay less.

“We started charging for waste removal this year but are not breaking out the rates,” said Councilman Richard Dunne. “We already have two size containers — (but there’s) no breakdown for that.”

He said the council needs to look at immediate relief for some of the city’s senior citizens, who do not produce as much trash as a family.

Read more of the council’s discussion of the issue here, click on the Cover It Live widget and scroll down to the 7:00 time listed at the right side of the box.