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City garbage, sewer services may rise

By J.D. Davidson
The Times-Journal

Published July 22, 2009

The cost of garbage collection and sewer service could be on the rise in Fort Payne for the first time since the late 1990s.

Mayor Bill Jordan asked Tuesday for the council to hold a work session to discuss possible rate increases for both areas. That meeting will be July 30 at 11 a.m. at City Hall.

“For the last five or six years, we’ve needed to address these issues and just haven’t done it,” Jordan said.

According to City Treasurer Kenneth Pell, the sanitation department brings in around $30,000 less in revenue than it costs to operate. The sewer shortfall is between $5,000-$6,000 monthly.

Fort Payne garbage collection rates last rose in 1997, when the city was forced to stop taking organic material and take it out of town. At that time, rates went from $6.50 a month to $10, Sanitation Director John Walker said. That’s also when the city began providing large, moveable collection cans for residents.

The rate has stayed at $10 since 1997, but the cost of operating the department has continued to rise, Jordan said.

The average monthly garbage collection rate for Albertville, Boaz, Cullman and Scottsboro is $12.40, with a high of $14 in Albertville and a low of $11 in Boaz.

Fort Payne’s basic residential sewer rate of $7.26 – which last was increased in 1998, according to Jordan – also came in significantly lower than similar cities.

The average basic residential rate for the four cities is $15.07, nearly $8 higher than Fort Payne’s. The highest is Cullman at $24.37, while the lowest is Albertville at $10.80. Each city, along with Fort Payne, assesses additional charges after a minimum usage, which is usually 2,000 or 3,000 gallons.

At its regular meeting, the council also:

• approved a tax abatement that will help allow Seimens make a $12.5 million equipment investment in its Fort Payne plant. That investment, according to Plant Manager Sam Suttle, is nearly twice as much as the total capital value of existing equipment in the plant.

Suttle also believes that investment will allow Seimens to not only better compete with foreign industries but become the leader in technology in its industry.

“I believe we will become the benchmark for our industry,” Suttle said. “[The investment] is an indication of the longevity of this plant.”

• approved $2,000 in funding for Partnership for a Drug Free DeKalb.

• approved to begin the process of getting ABC board required liability insurance for DeSoto Golf Course.

• renewed the transportation contract with DeKalb County at $851.48 per month.

• heard the mayor’s report which included the retirement of sanitation driver Gary Hamilton, and the termination of vehicle shop foreman Jimmy Thornberry.

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The Fort Payne Times-Journal | Publisher: J.D. Davidson

811 Greenhill Blvd.NW, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967 | Tel: 256-845-2550 | Email