Athens residents will pay $3 more per year in landfill fees if Athens City Council approves the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste Policy Committee's decision to increase rates.
The committee voted to charge the $3 fee for hazardous waste removal at an April 7 meeting because Athens-Hocking County Solid Waste District is not making enough money to run properly. The district makes about $689,000 in recycling fees per year, but needs $800,000 to operate properly, according to an April 7 article in The Post.
Currently, Athens residents pay a $1-per-year landfill fee when their garbage is collected, said councilwoman Nancy Bain, D-3rd Ward, at yesterday's City Council meeting.
The pay increase will hopefully be enough to bridge the gap between the money the district needs to run and the money that is currently coming in
Bain said.
With the fee increase, both Athens and Hocking Counties would be able to participate in a hazardous waste pickup - something the city of Athens has done in the past free of charge for city residents, Bain said.
The city has hosted two Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off Days in the past where residents drop off various hazardous materials, such as propane cylinders, car batteries and cell phones, for free, according to a previous Post article.
People in the county have wanted to participate in this program for a while but can't Bain said.
The increased fee is minor compared to other areas in the state, she said.
Hazardous waste doesn't decompose like recycling Bain said. It is important that the district picks it up and disposes of it properly.
If council approves the ordinance, the district is one step closer to providing both city and county residents with hazardous waste pickup, which would be included in their annual fee to the district, Bain said. Even if Athens City Council approves, Hocking officials will have to approve it as well.
City Council also proposed an ordinance authorizing the city to spend up to $228,000 on projects to repave and repair 10 roads across the city of Athens.
The projects would begin during summer 2010, when students are out of school, said councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large.
The finalized list of roads to be repaired will be posted on the Athens City website later this week, Knisely said.
Some of the $228,000 will go toward projects mostly funded by outside grants, such as repaving Jefferson Hill and repairing the Richland Avenue Bridge, she said.
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Alex Stuckey
