by Trish Rudder
Fees paid by Town of Bath property owners for garbage collection, street care and public safety service inside the town limits are slated to go up July 1 if a second reading of new fee ordinances passes a Bath council vote.
A first reading to increase the refuse collection rates and associated street and public safety fees in the Town of Bath was passed at the March 19 Bath Council meeting.
The new proposed fees would, on average, go up by 25-33%.
Councilman Greg Schene, who chairs the Ordinance committee, said the refuse collection provided by the town must be self-supporting, and it has been 20 years since the rates were increased.
According to Ordinance 2024-02-10, Chapter 62, Section 62-28, the new proposed quarterly rates are as follows:
Residential Service for one pickup a week (6 bags) is $48.
Commercial Service for one pickup a week (10 bags), $80; for two pickups a week (20 bags), $160; three pickups a week (30 bags), $240; one pickup a week (4 yard dumpster), $540; two pickups a week for 4 yard dumpster, $1,080; three pickups a week for 4 yard dumpster, $1,620; one pickup a week for 6 yard dumpster, $630; two pickups a week for 6 yard dumpster, $1,260; and three pickups a week for 6 yard dumpster, $1,890.
Any customer continuously exceeding their current rate charged will be reassessed at the discretion of the refuse collection department.
All businesses that generate food waste are required to have a minimum of two pickups a week.
A special pickup will be $125 per pickup truck load and is to be scheduled and paid for in advance of the pickup. The term “special pickup” means refuse outside the limits of regular collection and shall include items such as furniture, appliances, small construction materials, etc., and shall be at the discretion of the refuse collection department.
The current fee schedule charges $36 for residential service. Commercial customers currently pay $60 for one pickup per week, $120 for two pickups, $180.00 for three pickups, $480 per quarter for a once-weekly dumpster service and $960 per quarter for twice-weekly dumpster service.
If approved, the newly-proposed rates would be a 33% increase over the current fees.
Town public safety & street fees
The first reading of an ordinance change to increase the public safety fee and street fee rates passed a first reading by the Bath Town Council at the March 19 meeting. If it is approved at a second reading in April, the change will go into effect July 1.
According to Ordinance 2024-02-11 Amending in Part and Adding to, Town of Bath Municipal Code, Chapter 74, Taxation and Revenue, Section 74-1, Public Safety Fee; Section 74-2, Street Fee, the following rates will apply beginning July 1.
Public Safety Fee: Any residential property owner/lessee including but not limited to residential lots, acreage and undeveloped property located within town limits shall be required to pay $15 per quarter as assessed in Sec. 62-27 of the Town of Bath Solid Waste Rate Schedule to cover a public safety fee. This revenue shall be applied to the Town of Bath law enforcement department.
That fee is currently $9 for residential locations.
Any commercial property owner/lessee including but not limited to residential lots, acreage and undeveloped property located within town limits shall be required to pay $40 per quarter as assessed in Sec. 62-27 of the Town of Bath Solid Waste Rate Schedule to cover a public safety fee. This revenue shall be applied to the Town of Bath law enforcement department. That fee is currently $24 for commercial properties.
Street Fee: Any residential property owner/lessee including but not limited to residential lots, acreage and undeveloped property located within town limits shall be required to pay $15 per quarter as assessed in Sec. 62-27 of the Town of Bath Solid Waste Rate Schedule to cover a street fee. This revenue shall be applied to Town of Bath street maintenance, paving, repair, cleaning projects and snow removal. The fee is currently $12 for residences.
Any commercial property owner/lessee including but not limited to residential lots, acreage and undeveloped property located within town limits shall be required to pay $40 per quarter as assessed in Sec. 62-27 of the Town of Bath Solid Waste Rate Schedule to cover a street fee. This revenue shall be applied to Town of Bath street maintenance, paving, repair, cleaning projects and snow removal. That fee is currently $24 for commercial properties.
The next meeting of the Bath Town Council will be on Tuesday, April 2.
