Increase in garbage rates on the table

Residents will pay $1 more if city council approves proposal.

BOYNTON BEACH — Boynton Beach residents could see an increase in garbage rates during the next three years.

The Public Works and Engineering Department proposed the price increase for residents in single-family and multi-family homes so the city can maintain, repair and improve its waste removal system and afford increasing operation costs.

“The Solid Waste Division has seen significant increases in personnel and benefit costs, waste disposal fees, vehicle service and replacement costs, and unexpected costs with the city’s former landfill,” director for the Public Works and Engineering Department, Andrew Mack, said at a recent city meeting.

Commissioners will vote on the rate increase at the Sept. 6 city council meeting.

If approved, residents would see a rate increase of $1 for the fiscal year 201819, which starts on Oct. 1. The city would then increase rates by 50 cents during the fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21, Mack said.

Rates for single-family homes are $16 and $12.75 for multi-family homes. Mack said these rates are still lower than those in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth.

West Palm Beach residents pay $18.85 in garbage rates for single-family homes and $18.46 for multi-family homes. Lake Worth residents pay higher rates of $20.48 for both single- and multi-family homes and Boca Raton residents pay $16.90 for single-family homes and $10.25 for multi-family homes.

The increased fees would give Boynton Beach’s Solid Waste Division a budget for the following:

■ Two new heavy equipment trucks.

■ Replace and repair old cars, dumpsters and roll-off containers.

■ Pay for expenditures to close out the city’s old landfill.

■ Pay for increased waste disposal fees and replenish reserves in the Solid Waste fund.

Mack said waste fees have increased to 15 percent partly because the Solid Waste Authority — a governmental agency that handles waste disposal and recycling for the county — raised its disposal rate from $42 a ton to $43 a ton in 2017. The SWA has experienced an increase in total tons of trash, citing Boynton’s population growth as part of the reason.