By Karen Cohilas - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - The Dougherty County landfill plans to raise its rates, and that means city trash customers will pay nearly 10% more.
The city commission isn't happy about that. At Tuesday's meeting, commissioners said the last minute proposed increase, right before final budgets are determined for the next fiscal year, are too drastic.
The landfill wants to raise rates nine dollars and twenty five cents a ton, that equates to an extra $350,000 a year for the city to pay, and ultimately to pass along to customers.
Assistant County Administrator and Landfill Director Mike McCoy says there's really no room for negotiation.
"We looked it over and based on our financial realities, we can't afford to do it," McCoy said.
"Don't ram nothing down my throat and tell me I gotta take it, 'cause when it come your time, I'm going to ram it back down yours," said City Commissioner Tommie Postell.
The city manager now plans to draft a letter to the county commission asking them to meet the city somewhere in the middle, so rates don't increase so drastically.
If the proposed rate change happens, on top of an increase by the city, rates will increase by $2.19 a month per household.
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