VENICE — When the City Council implemented a five-year solid-waste rate increase plan in 2018, it had been more than 10 years since fees for garbage, recyclable and yard waste collection went up.
They’re proposed to go up again, soon, by 16%.
An increase was needed six years ago, Council members were told, to make up for higher costs of providing collection services. The Solid Waste Division operates as an enterprise fund, meaning its revenue comes almost entirely from fees paid by residential and commercial customers, not from the General Fund.
A separate recycling surcharge was also adopted, to cover higher charges at the recycling facility.
The five-year plan expired in 2022 after a final 1% increase that year. Since then, according to a rate study by Kessler Consulting Inc. that the Council will consider Tuesday, employee salaries and benefits have increased 13.5% in both fiscal 2023 and 2024; landfill fees have gone up 6.5% and 9.4%; fuel costs are 2.5 times higher than in 2021; and the city has gone through Hurricane Ian and is planning to relocate Solid Waste operations to a new facility.
In short, the study says, current rates are insufficient to cover rising costs and the expense of relocation while maintaining the required level of reserves.
The study recommends an across-the-board 16% increase in all residential and commercial rates in Fiscal Year 2024-25, which begins Oct. 1, followed by 3% increases through 2034 to account for inflation.
However, the ordinance before the Council next week is based on the recommendations of a stakeholder group, which proposed a 16% increase for the coming year and 3% increases for the following four years.
If it’s approved, a residential bill for solid waste collection would go from $21.09 this year to $24.46 as of October.
Commercial customers would see increases ranging from about $28 a month to about $70 a month, depending on the size of their container.
The cost to “pull” a roll-off container would go up as well.
Other businessAlso on Tuesday the Council is scheduled to:
Vote on rezoning the 40 acres north of Fox Lea Farm along Auburn Road, the proposed future home of a development called Cassata Oaks.Vote on ordinances annexing 2695 Curry Lane into the city; changing the future land use designation of the property from Sarasota County Moderate Density Residential to Venice Institutional Professional; and rezoning it from Sarasota County Open Use Estate 1 to Venice Office, Professional and Institutional.Vote on an ordinance amending various provisions of the land development code.Vote on an ordinance regulating streets, sidewalks and other public places.Discuss the need for a study of Planning Department fees.Discuss a budget amendment to cover the city’s Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council dues.Discuss a Venice Theatre sponsorship.Consider approving the donation of forfeiture funds to Family Promise of South Sarasota County ($4,000), Child Protection Center Inc. ($3,000) and Sarasota K9 Search & Rescue ($3,000).Consider reappointing Bruce Weaver to the Historic and Architectural Preservation BoardProclaim Sept. 17, 2024, as “IT Professionals Day.”Present a five-year service award to Planning & Zoning Administrative Coordinator Lisa Olson.
The City Council meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 401 W. Venice Ave. The agenda is at VeniceGov.com at the “Meetings” button.
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