City Residents Might See An Increase In Garbage Service

Summerville residents might see an increased utility bill starting in the New Year.
Mayor Harry Harvey told the council he would like to see garbage rates hiked by year’s end. The city uses Wright’s Sanitation Services, of Summerville, to collect city residents’ garbage.
While renewing a three-year contract with Wright’s recently, the city’s cost went up. Now officials want to pass that higher cost to customers.
“We are just passing on what we were actually charged for the service,” City Manager Janice Galloway said during a special called meeting Monday evening.
“I would also like to put this into effect by Jan. 1,” Mayor Harry Harvey suggested.
The city asked various private companies in the waste services business to submit bids. Only Wright’s and Santek Waste Disposal, in Cleveland, Tenn., priced the service. The council went with Wright’s who was about $200 cheaper overall than Santek’s proposal.
“I think when that passed I had said there would probably be an increase,” the mayor said.
City residents currently pay $11.40 a month for garbage services. Preliminary numbers from city hall indicate Wright’s base bid is .55 cents higher for residential customers and prices would go to $11.95 a month for garbage.
“The elderly and disabled, they’ve been paying $4 for each garbage can for one time a week pickup. I would recommend that we go up to $5. That does not cover our expenses for the service. We have seven customers that have two garbage cans that are elderly and disabled. I would recommend going up on theirs to $9,” the city manager said.
The council tabled the issue, but the mayor said he would like to bring it up soon and see about approving a rate hike soon.