Small Town News

Manchester Garbage Rates Going Up $6.30 Per Household

---

The Manchester City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to increase garbage rates for its 1,770 customers from $12.70 to $19.00 a month, an increase of $6.30 per household.

Councilwoman Pattisue Elliott made the motion to increase the rate. Bruce Burt seconded the motion. Mayor Anthony Clifton and Solomon Ferguson also voted for the rate change. Mayor Pro Tem Travis Ferguson, while agreeing to locating revenue to making the picking up of limbs, leaves and white goods pay for themselves, voted against the increase.

City Manager Danny Walton said the cost for pickup of limbs and leaves was approximately $135,000 a year, none of which is covered by the base $12.70 rate.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep absorbing it," Walton said. "Our whole tax digest is down, so we are going to have to make some kind of arrangements." He said garbage costs had increased 50 percent for the city over the last three years and that "we haven't had an increase in our rates".

"It's one of those services that has gotten expensive and that we can't keep subsidizing," Clifton said.

"I know we are caught between a rock and a hard place," Travis Ferguson said. He cited the lack of increase in 2010 for Social Security recipients, job losses and the down economy as reasons making it more difficult to increase charges for service.

"What has happened over the years is that we have really become kind of spoiled," Elliott said. "The city has been so good about doing things. We have picked up a lot things that 15 years ago volunteer groups or clubs would have done. People depend on us to do stuff now."

Burt said that once the landfill is operating and the city receives tipping fees, that money could be plowed back into reducing rates.

Walton said that unless the economy improves, he will likely have to ask the Council to approve fur-loughing city employees one day a month.

At a Special Called Meeting held Thursday, November 5, the Council unanimously voted to raise the participant resident fees $5.00 and the non-resident fees $10.00 for recreation team sports. The Council also voted 4-0 (Clifton abstained) to increase the monthly gas base rate from $10.00 to $15.00

In other business:

The Council approved the minutes of its October 12, 2009 Regular meeting, its October 15 Special Called Meeting, its two. October 29 Public Hearings, its November 5 Public Hearing and its November 5 Special Called Meeting.

The Council approved the October Treasurer's Report as presented by City Clerk Kathy Storey.

The Council adopted the 2008-2009 Budget Resolution.

The Council approved a $266.41 sewer credit for Josh Amerson.

The Council approved the appointment of Solomon Ferguson for a one-year term to the CAFI (Community Action for Improvement) Board.

The Manchester Arts Council presented proclamations honoring Kim Foster, owner and photographer of The Studio, and Ploener Radio Group, LLC for their support of the 2009 Manchester Centennial.

Bill Alderman made an appearance to see if his church, which is averaging 20 members per Sunday service, could, use the gymnasium at the old Manchester Middle School. Clifton said the Council had done a walk-through of the building at 4:00 p.m. and that it would not in the near future be in condition to be rented because of liability issues.

The Council tabled discussion of the Better Hometown Department.

The Council discussed a schedule to honor the late Judge David Turner by renaming the city reservoir at Big Lazar Creek after him. The ceremony was tentatively set for Saturday, November 21.

The Council scheduled a Special Called Meeting for Thursday, November 12 at noon.



Copyright 2009 The Manchester Star-Mercury, Manchester, Georgia. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Manchester Star-Mercury Manchester, Georgia. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from The Manchester Star-Mercury