An almost seven-hour Starkville Board of Aldermen meeting yielded motions to raise sanitation rates beginning Oct. 1 and place the city’s entire parks and recreation department on probation.
After the meeting’s conclusion about midnight, two aldermen, the city’s mayor and chief administrative officer confirmed the personnel move — all Starkville Parks and Recreation workers remain employed with the city but were placed on a six-month probationary period.
It is not known why the personnel move was made. Officials did not comment on the matter.
Beginning Oct. 1, Starkville residents and small business owners will see a slight increase in their monthly sanitation bills as the city adds revenue to offset equipment needs and pay increases.
The board approved two across-the-board monthly increases for the upcoming fiscal year: residential rates will increase 75 cents, while small business collection fees will increase $5.
Those who participate in the city’s recycling program will be charged a monthly $2 fee for the service, as the city moves from once-every-two-weeks to once-a-week collections.
Altogether, Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard said the three increases should net an additional $171,300 per year. The residential rate hike alone should generate $103,000, he said, while the small business increase will add an additional $51,000.
Free residential garbage bag distributions remain in place after Tuesday’s 6-1 vote. Only Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins opposed the matter.
Ward 6 Alderman Henry Vaughn joined the majority after Maynard’s motion was amended to make replacing a street sweeper a top priority for the department. Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker made a similar revision to explicitly call for once-a-week recycling collections.
Tuesday’s sanitation discussions marked the third time the board has debated the issue since February.
Equipment issues have plagued the city this year, and attempts to generate new funding with a $1.50 residential rate increase died in February. Coupled with board-approved minimum pay rates — $10 per hour – for city employees in the coming years, aldermen needed to find additional revenues since the sanitation department is an enterprise fund, which means its funding is derived from fees instead of millage.
Aldermen also tabled an agenda item that would have set a public hearing for the proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget and tax rate. At the table, many aldermen said they have not yet seen the proposed budget.
Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn also rescinded her motion to force residents wishing to make public comments fill out an application to do so.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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