Posted: 1/29/03

April trash bills in FL will see new charge

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

While Washington County officials insist it is not a new charge, residents may cringe when they see their rubbish bills this April.

Residents who are used to seeing the $42 charge on their annual property taxes now will see that County Environmental Charge on their garbage bill.

This information was presented at the Forest Lake City Council meeting Monday, January 27.

While billing has been standard, the rate will increase if there is excessive garbage. Judy Hunter of Washington County Solid Waste said the new method is designed to cut trash and encourage recycling efforts.

ìThe more garbage you produce, the more you pay,î Hunter said. ìWeíre trying to get the true costs of managing waste on a resident or a business.î

Billing of the charge now will be up to the hauler.

Cameron Strand is owner of Forest Lake Sanitation, which serves local residents.

ìDo we like it? No. I think weíre going to lose a certain amount of revenue,î he said. ìThe worse part of it is we get no compensation from the county for the extra work.î

To accommodate the change, Strand said the billing system had to be changed. Too, he is sending postcards to customers to alert them of the change.

This year the money will be collected over a nine month period. Next year, the charge will be spread out over the entire year.

Councilwoman Susan Young said she was concerned the change may incite an increase in illegal dumping.

ìYou create a much greater incentive for people to illegally dump,î she said. ìThere will be more incentive to midnight dump. Illegal dumping in less populated areas is becoming a glory awful problem.î

Saying he didnít have an answer for it, County Commissioner Dennis Hegberg said overall, the new system would be better.

He added residents would have more incentive to recycle as well.

Residents who have questions about the charge can call Washington County offices at 651-275-7303 or visit the county website at www.co.washington.mn.us and click on County Environmental Charge.

Water/sewer rates

The city council Monday night approved 2003 sanitary sewer and water works rates. The price goes up 10 cents a unit this year. A unit is 1000 gallons of water.

For water works, the Trunk Area Water System Charge is $4450 per net developable acre and the Water Access Charge is $1200 per residential equivalent unit.

For sanitary sewer, the Trunk Area Sanitary Sewer Charge is $3000 per net developable acre. The City Core Charge is $1200 per residential equivalent unit and the Sewer Access Charge is $1275 for 2003 per residential equivalent.

Speed race

The snowmobile speed race proposed by Pete Paider at the last city council meeting now has a charitable organization on board.

The Forest Lake Police Explorer Post 515 has agreed to work with Paider in pre-event activities and work at the event.

However, the race will only take place if the ice is deemed safe on race day, Saturday, March 1.

Meetings

The Forest Lake City Council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in Forest Lake City Council Chambers. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 10.

A special meeting to further address a possible backage road on TH-97, set goals for the year and consider other issues, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3.

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