Royal City ups garbage rates

ROYAL CITY — Royal City residents and businesses will see an increase in their garbage collection rates, effective in November. Royal City Council members approved the increase at their regular meeting Sept. 21.

The new rates will show up in utility bills in December.

City finance director Shilo Christensen said Royal City residents and businesses will receive a notice detailing the new rates with their October and November bills.

Residential customers with one garbage container dumped once a week will pay $24.50 per month, up from $22.55. People who have extra garbage will be charged $5.14 per month, up from $4.24.

A one-cubic-yard container, dumped once per week, will go from $68.80 per month to $82.04. A container that holds two cubic yards, dumped once a week, will go from $109.44 to $128.02.

A three-cubic-yard container dumped once a week will cost $177.12 per month, up from $148.88.

Christensen said the increase was prompted by increases in the amount the city is being charged for garbage services.

Disposal fees went up at the Grant County landfill in March. Companies that dump garbage there raised their fees as a result, Christensen said, including Consolidated Disposal, which serves Royal City. The city’s contract with the company also includes a 2% rate increase, effective in October.

The fees were eating into the garbage fund balance, Christensen said. Under Washington law municipal operations must generate enough revenue to pay for themselves, he said. Cities can’t operate at a profit, but they are required to generate enough to cover their costs.