Waste hauler asks for temporary 10% fuel surcharge; council delays decision pending metrics

Waste hauler Waste Pro asked the Canton City Mayor and Council on May 7 to permit a temporary 10% fuel surcharge on sanitation invoices because diesel costs have risen substantially.

"Back in January, fuel was around $3, $3.25 for diesel, and now it's over $5.50," Waste Pro representative Josh Beckes said, noting a local price of roughly $5.20 and a national average near $5.60. He described the requested 10% as a short-term measure and proposed revisiting it after a set period or when a threshold is met.

Council members acknowledged the companyconcerns but worried about passing costs to residents. "I just don't see how we could vote a fuel charge to give to you guys when everybody else in the city and everywhere else is struggling," Councilmember Roach said. Other members said they were open to a temporary surcharge if it included a clear trigger to return to original pricing.

Council did not approve the surcharge at the May 7 meeting. Instead, members asked city counsel and staff to work with Waste Pro to collect examples of how other municipalities structure temporary fuel surcharges (for instance, fixed-term reviews such as 90 days or a price threshold) and to return with metrics and sample language for council review before the July billing cycle.

The discussion left the contract terms unchanged for now; staff and Waste Pro will report back with examples and potential trigger language for council consideration.