Council holds first reading on solid-waste rate increases tied to landfill fees

The Perry City Council conducted a first reading of an ordinance to increase solid-waste collection fees after the Metro Waste landfill commission notified member communities of higher tonnage fees.

City staff explained that the landfill fee increase could add roughly $90,000 to Perry's 2027 budget and recommended raising single-family residential collection from $19 to $21 per month and adjusting commercial dumpster charges (for example, small dumpsters and four-yard pickups) to close most of the budget shortfall. Staff said the remaining shortfall would be addressed by route adjustments and other revenue changes.

Staff cautioned that Metro Waste sets tonnage fees and that the commissionnot Perry alonecontrols future increases. The ordinance will be published and businesses notified of new rates, giving commercial customers a chance to revise service choices.

Council members discussed timing, the difficulty of absorbing costs in a constrained local budget, and the possibility of appealing to the landfill commission. No final vote was taken at the first reading; additional readings or action will be scheduled per the city's ordinance-adoption process.