Commission approves $6-per-unit increase to landfill user fees, raises special-waste rates

The Reno County Commission voted to update the county’s solid-waste fee schedule, approving a staff-recommended $6 per-unit increase that raises residential and many commercial user fees from $80 to $86 per year and to standardize rates across commercial-housing and mobile-home classifications by basing charges on landfill volume. The commission also approved modest increases to special-waste fees.

Staff explained the change as a step to modernize an older resolution and to equalize charges across similar users. "We're recommending the $6 increase for our Reno County residents," the solid-waste presenter said, adding that residential units are recorded on tax statements (but are billed as a fee, not a tax) and that commercial charges are computed from hauler-volume lists and converted to landfill 'units.'

Staff noted examples: the current residential fee of $80 would become $86; commercial housing and apartment-unit rates would be aligned to the same per-unit figure; contaminated-soil and general-special-waste fees were proposed to rise to $39 per ton (from $32.75 and $37.75 respectively). Commissioners discussed how hotels had historically used a 67% occupancy factor in the resolution and requested staff verify that assumption with the convention and tourism bureau before further changes.

The motion to adopt the updated fee schedule (identified in the meeting as resolution 2017‑11 / 272‑11 in discussion) was moved and seconded, put to a roll call and passed with affirmative votes.

What this means: Residential and many commercial users will see a $6 increase reflected on upcoming solid-waste fee bills; staff will refine occupancy and volume assumptions for particular categories (hotels/motels) and return with any further clarifications if needed.