Jasper set to raise fees for garbage

photo Jasper mayor Billy Simpson
Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

JASPER, Tenn. - Garbage pickup in Jasper soon may cost a little more.

On first reading, the city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved an ordinance last week that will raise the rate from $10 per month to $15.

Over the past two months, city administrators have been considering a move to raise the fees. Mayor Billy Simpson said it is a move that has to be made.

"We've thrown this back and forth, but it is common knowledge that we are losing money in sanitation," he said in July. "We've got to do something about adjusting our rates."

Alderman Paul Evans said last month that the town's brush pickup efforts from spring and summer storms only have made the problem worse.

"I think [the fee increase] has to be done, especially considering brush pickup and all the hours we've had to put in manpower," he said.

Simpson said there have been four fee increases for dumping trash at the Marion County landfill since 2004 that also have contributed to the town's losses.

"The aldermen and I have discussed this," he said. "We just completed three years of losing money with our garbage pickup. We cannot continue to lose the money we've been losing."

Officials said the board will vote on the ordinance's second reading at its next meeting Sept. 12.

The garbage pickup fee increase would go into effect Oct. 10 if it passes a third and final reading, officials said.

Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.

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