Waste collection rate increase turned back

FORT SMITH — Residents living in the unincorporated parts of Sebastian County dodged having to pay more for their solid waste collection and disposal service last week.

The Quorum Court rejected 5-8 a requested rate increase from Cards River Valley at its meeting Tuesday. The ordinance would have raised the monthly rate for each participating residence from $18.05 to $19.55, effective April 1.

Justices of the Peace Shawn Looper, Dickie Robertson, Tommy Camp, Lorrie Runion and Johnny Hobbs voted for the increase while Jackie Davis, James Butler, John Spradlin, Danny Aldridge, Kenneth Williamson, Valeria Robinson, Rhonda Royal and Gerry Ward voted against it.

County Judge Steve Hotz said Thursday Jason Fitzgerald, director of government affairs for Cards Holdings, requested to be put on the agenda for the Quorum Court’s meeting March 21 to speak and answer questions the justices of the peace may have from their constituents.

“I think if they just have a chance to have a conversation and let Cards explain their needs and what they’ve been doing with the Quorum Court members that it’ll probably come up to vote again,” Hotz said.

Fitzgerald explained to Hotz in a letter included in the Quorum Court meeting packet Cards’ request stems from increased operating costs the company has experienced over the past few years, including fuel and disposal costs.

“Your new disposal rate is based on any number of factors, including adjustments to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index and recent increases from each landfill and disposal site found in the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas,” Fitzgerald wrote.

Fitzgerald said Wednesday this is the first rate increase Cards has requested

from the county since it began providing residential solid waste services April 1.

The county’s agreement with Cards is set to run through March 31, 2027. It stipulates Cards will supply each residence who agrees to pay the $ 18.05 monthly fee — which doesn’t include sales tax — a 96-gallon polycart container in which to put its garbage. Garbage collection is contracted to take place once per week, with participating residents expected to place their containers at the roadside or curb of the street in front of their house before 7 a.m.

on their designated day of pickup.

Cards also provides equipment and services for two countywide clean up campaigns per year.

The company services between 3,500 to 4,000 customers through the agreement, according to Fitzgerald.

Butler, who holds the District 4 justice of the peace seat on the Quorum Court, expressed dissatisfaction Tuesday with the service Cards is providing. One of Butler’s concerns is some of his older constituents who live off a main road still have to drag their containers a considerable distance to have their waste collected.

The company is obligated to collect waste for participants who are physically unable to bring containers or bags to the roadside or curb at an “easily accessible” location upon request, according to the agreement.

Butler said Friday he believes Cards should finish out its current term with the county before asking for a rate increase.

Sebastian County had previously relied on Altes Sanitation Service for collecting and disposing of residential solid waste in its unincorporated areas. Cards announced it purchased Altes Sanitation on its website Jan. 3, 2022.