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Western Springs garbage removal fees could go up
Updated: July 2, 2012 9:22AM
Next month the Western Springs Village Board will consider extending the village’s contract with Allied Waste Incorporated. If it does, garbage collection fees will increase incrementally over the next 3 years.
According to the village’s executive secretary deputy clerk Elaine Haeske, Allied Waste is increasing its costs because of “collective bargaining, insurance and fuel costs.”
If approved, the new contract would call for fees to increase by 3 percent in 2013. On top of that cost the fee would increase another 3 percent in 2014. Then in 2015 the fees would increase another 4.3 percent on top of the already increased fees.
Currently, stickers for curb-side garbage pick-up cost $3.25 each.
The village offers residents several options when it comes to garbage collection. Residents who choose to have their garbage picked up curb-side will pay an additional 10 cents per garbage collection sticker.
Residents can also choose to have different amounts of garbage picked up from their back doors. That means they can either choose to have one, 33-gallon garbage can at a cost of $19.37, two 33 gallon garbage cans at a cost of $27.05, or four 33 gallon cans at a cost of $33.76.
As an example of how the new fees would be applied, residents who pay $19.37 monthly for service would see a 58 cent increase to garbage bills in 2013. There would then be a 59 cent increase to the bill in 2014, and 88 cents in 2015. By the time the contract is up, these bills will be about $21.42.
Speaking during the village’s General Government Committee on Monday, Village Attorney Michael Jurusik said the village’s garbage collection fees are competitive compared to other communities.
“(Allied Waste) is looking for a 3 percent raise here and (with) all their customers in the near west because that’s the path they’re on,” Jurusik said.
