Amended trash fee passes with Terre Haute City Council vote

 TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) – The trash talk comes to and end tonight for the Terre Haute City Council.

Thursday evening’s decision ends in a close vote, after months of debate.

With a 5 to 4 vote the city of Terre Haute passes an ordinance to enact a waste and refuse collection fee, commonly known as the trash fee.

Terre Haute City Mayor Duke Bennett explains, “You know a lot of dialog, a lot of debate. You’ve heard people say their concerns about having a trash fee. But this is what we needed to solidify our general fund.”

The fee helps pay for the trash contract the city has with Republic.

This frees up money to help replenish city funds that are in the red.

Additionally, an amendment to the ordinance was passed to reduce the price of the fee from $12.50 a month to $10.25.

However, that rate will increase by 25 cents annually until 2019.

The final rate will be $11.00 dollars a month, and will show up as a line item on Terre Haute residents’ sewer bills.

Bennett explains, “It’s going to be around thirty five cents a day is what it comes out to be. The services you are going to receive for that are pretty significant.”

Although the passage of the trash fee helps the city’s financial situation, many residents in attendance and council members are still worried.

“My concern is that once we have a trash fee the pressure will be off. We won’t get around to doing this or doing it in a timely manner,” said Councilwoman Martha Crossen.

“We’ll continue to whittle it down, we’re not going to let the budget grow. But we had to plug that hole,” said Mayor Bennett.

An additional amendment to the fee gives residents involved in Republic’s recycling plan a 25% monthly credit.