FY 2020 Budget

Budget Impact:

The budget herein proposes an increase of monthly solid waste rates of 4% for the fiscal year. The need to increase rates is required to keep up with the cost of providing solid waste service, and funding future capital needs for the department. As a proprietary fund, the Solid Waste department receives no tax dollars for operations. The budget herein contains an overall budget that spends more that is taken in through revenues. The excess is caused by proposed capital projects and will come from the Solid Waste Reserves, which are designated for capital projects. The specific capital projects for the fiscal year include a lighting upgrade, continued purchases of replacement containers and a new residential solid waste collection truck. The Department will conclude the installation of a scale at the Transfer Station in order to accurately weigh all material entering and leaving the facility. The long term plan is to eliminate the ability of residents to bring unlimited waste to the facility free of charge. The department has been seeing increases in the cost to dispose of materials related to appliances, tires and e-waste. With the recently adopted ban on disposal of e-waste to the landfill that began in July, 2017, the department may start to see an increase of e-waste being recycled. Rates for the acceptance of e-waste were recently reviewed and increased as part of the ban implementation. The budget presented in this document allows the Solid Waste Department to continue providing the community with reliable solid waste service at an affordable rate. The rates established provide for support of operations future equipment purchases. There are no new staff proposed as part of this budget. As with other proprietary departments, the continued need for review of revenue is important. The city must keep up on rate increases as well as prudent review of the operations to ensure that the services are viable in the long run. The city recently entered into a contract for the bailing of loose cardboard and will new receive the full revenue form the sale. However, current costs to bale far exceed the market price and the City will need to consider how to begin charging commercial cardboard customers for the collection of their cardboard, currently done for free. As with other departments, the Solid Waste Department will have at least one employee who is eligible for retirement in the next five years. Finding suitable and qualified replacements may be difficult.

Future Concerns:

Employees

Percent of Proprietary Expenditures (net transfers)

9

9

9

9

2

2

2

2

Actual 16/17 Actual 17/18 Budget 18/19 Budget 19/20

Solid Waste 28%

Number of Employees (FTEs)

Part Time Employees

189