Edgewater council to place recycling-service question on ballot to soften utility-bill impact

The City of Edgewater council gave verbal consensus at a June 25 workshop to add a ballot question asking whether the city should continue to pay for curbside recycling service, a step staff presented as a way to reduce the projected near-term utility-bill increase.

Finance Director Bridget Bass told the council that the current recycling contract costs roughly $8 per household per month and that less than half of city households actively recycle. Staff estimated removing the recycling contract would reduce the typical bill increase for 2027 from about $9.98 to roughly $2 — a near-term drop of about $6–$7 per month.

Why it matters: Council members framed the ballot question as a public choice between a smaller bill increase now and retaining recycling service. Council members asked whether the question should be legally binding (an ordinance) or advisory; City Attorney Sabatini said the ballot can be a simple yes/no question and need not cost extra to print. Sabatini noted the council could make the question legally binding (create an ordinance via voter approval) or treat it as advisory implementation guidance.

Public process and timing: Staff and the city attorney will draft ballot language and advise on whether the question will be binding; if the council proceeds, contract timelines mean any change would require notice (council discussion noted contract cancelation timelines up to six months). Staff plans to bring final language and ordinance options back for council review in coming meetings ahead of the fall ballot schedule.

Context from council: Several council members said they want to hear from residents before removing recycling, and one council member suggested placing the question on the ballot to let voters decide. Council members noted trade-offs including potential increases in landfill tonnage and administrative changes if recycling is stopped, and they discussed equity concerns for renters vs. homeowners.

Next steps: Staff will work with the city attorney to draft the ballot question and present recommended language and ordinance options to council for approval of final wording before placement on the ballot.