WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Editor's note: Video in this story is from prior coverage of sanitation fees.
Earlier in April, we reported the Warner Robins city council was considering raising everyone’s sanitation fees. On Monday, they voted to raise the city’s sanitation fee, meaning your trash bill will go up soon.
Here’s why…
Assistant city finance director Holly Gross says the Warner Robins sanitation account is now more than $1 million in the hole. By the end of June, the city is projecting an accumulative amount of $1.7 million of debt in its sanitation fund.
It’s something Mayor LaRhonda Patrick says she inherited from previous administrations.
So, the city’s finance committee recommended a 20% rate increase for residential and commercial carts; and a 31% increase for dumpsters, shredders and vertical trash compactors.
Since council voted unanimously to raise the rates, residential trash pickup fees will go from $16.50 a month to $19.80 a month.
The city wanted to do it earlier in 2021, but the pandemic slowed down the process. They went to court three times to get out of the contract and were unsuccessful.
The city’s current sanitation contract ends in 2023. The last time the city of Warner Robins increased its sanitation fee was 2015.
Gross says the city has up to $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds and Mayor Patrick says they’re going to use that money to level the debt.