Trash rates to be part of larger Mattawa finance discussion

MATTAWA — A discussion about garbage rates in Mattawa turned into one about city finances and resources at the regular Mattawa City Council meeting Nov. 7. 

Rates would increase under the proposal; residential customers would pay $26.02 per month per container. Additional pickup of up to 33 gallons would cost an additional $6.51 each. Additional refuse would be $24.50 per loose yard. 

A two-yard container would be $122.43, and three-yard containers would be $167.71 each. Fees would increase for bigger containers.  

Commercial customers would pay a monthly rental fee of $255.35 for a commercial drop box. The charge for initial delivery would be $79.85 per container. The drop box service fee would be $255.35 per container. 

The new rates would start Jan. 1 and were on the council agenda for approval, but council members delayed the vote.  

The city charges 40% over the contractor’s charges in order to pay for the operation of the solid waste department, and council member Tony Acosta said that’s not enough to cover costs. 

“Looking at our budget, it is my opinion we need more money for the solid waste account. So is that something (where) we can increase the rates? Because that’s the only revenue that account gets, is what we charge,” Acosta said. 

“Looking at the proposed budget, we’re (about) $6,200 negative in that account. We’re spending more than we’re receiving in 2025 in that account,” he added. 

City officials held a public hearing on the city’s preliminary 2025 budget earlier in the meeting. During that discussion, Acosta expressed concern that balancing the budget in 2025 would require reserve funds. 

“Our general fund is $200,000 negative in terms of what we’re expected to bring in for 2025 and what we’re spending. And most of our other accounts are not doing very good either,” he said.  

Acosta said the city spending more than it takes in has, in his opinion, been a problem for some time and he wouldn’t approve a budget for 2025 that used reserves to balance. In the case of garbage rates, he asked what alternatives were available. 

“Because we’re losing money in that account. Either we’ve got to cut back in what we’re spending in that account, or we’ve got to increase the rates, because that account is already poor as it is, and it’s going to end up in the red if we don’t do something soon,” he said. “We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road with everything, because eventually it’s all going to catch up with us.” 

Council member Alex Heredia suggested that city officials determine what rate would allow the city to pay its expenses in that fund. Rates could be adjusted accordingly – maybe not in 2025, but in 2026 and beyond.  

“(The city’s solid waste contractor) is not going to lower the rates. No one ever lowers the rates,” Heredia said.  

Council members scheduled a budget workshop after Acosta expressed concern about the city’s overall financial health. Heredia said garbage rates could be added to the list of departments to be reviewed. 

“Let’s see if we could have some budget cuts going forward to even it out this year and then see where we could increase the rates for the years going forward,” Heredia said.