- February 26, 2025
The fees for solid waste, yard waste and recycling collection will increase as of Oct. 1. The City Commission approved a contract with Waste Pro at their Sept. 15 meeting. The current company is Waste Management.
Residential collection will go from $13.86 to $14.54, and recycling from $2.95 to $3.07. Commercial service fees were also increased.
Since 1991, they city has had four increases in solid waste fees: 2004, 11.76%; 2008, 5.54%; 2009, 9.57%; and 2013, 2%.
The city sent waste collection out for bids last year, and all of the bids came in higher than the current rate. The city is currently paying $4,068,881 per year, and the new contract calls for $4,957,135 per year.
City to invest $600,000 in new software
The City Commission, on the recommendation of the Planning Department, voted to award a contract to Avolve Software Corp. to provide software to streamline the city’s permit application process. Plans will be submitted online rather than on paper.
Planning Director Rick Goss told the commissioners at the Sept. 15 meeting that the current system creates paper waste and problems in storage and is much slower than an online system would be. Much of the design community already submits construction plans via computer software.
The cost will be about $600,000 over a five-year period.
The commissioners voted four to one in favor of the purchase, expressing the general opinion that moving from paper to electronics is necessary to keep up with changing technology.
Mayor Ed Kelley voted no, saying he would like to see a less expensive proposal.
Commissioner Bill Partington asked Goss if having the new system would eliminate the need of adding to staff in the future. Goss responded positively, saying that the electronic review system would save a lot of time for staff.
Implementation will take several months. City Manager Joyce Shanahan said that private individuals installing a fence or patio, for example, will still be able to submit plans on paper.
