Cape Girardeau residents will see their sewer bill go down by a dollar this summer, but their solid waste fee will drop by 85 cents per month.
The city council approved the pair of rate changes at Monday night’s meeting.
The council found they could reduce sewer fees and still pay off the bonds for the new sewage treatment plant on time. They voted to increase solid rate fees due to increased fleet maintenance costs and higher disposal costs from the company that hauls trash away from the transfer station. The transfer station is also receiving less trash because the city is taking in more recycling.
The fee increase passed by a 5 to 2 vote. Councilman John Voss voted in favor, and said council did not raise solid waste rates during the first two years of the city’s new automated trash collection system.
“There were no increases for 24 months,” Voss said. “Last year we brought just under a 5% fee increase and that’s what we’re asking for again this time. So over the last four years, we’ve only has a 2.5% per year increase, which is right in line with inflation.
“I think that sends a message that our staff is doing a diligent jobs in making sure that we’re only passing on to those users those critically necessary expenses to keep the operation afloat and to make sure that it’s sustainable for years to come,” Voss said.
Councilmember Trent Summers voted against the measure. He says council only received the fee increase ordinance three days prior to the last meeting, which is not enough time to fully review the measure.
“The sewer reduction reduction was discussed ahead of time. This was not,” Summer said.
Councilmember Meg Davis joined Summers in opposition to the fee increase.