We are in the landscape business and often need to take a load of grass clippings or other lawn/landscape debris to the landfill for dumping at the end of the day. We hold a commercial permit to dump at the landfill. In the past, they have charged by the ton, per dump. Now the county is still charging by the ton, but there is a minimum dump fee of $10.00. They sent out a notice with the price per ton as of 7-1-13 but neglected to tell business owners about the minimum charge. When we questioned the employees at the dump, we were told that he would have to take the issue up with Rick Pollitt.
I'm attaching a copy of the notice that was sent out, with only prices per ton, a copy of a previous month statement showing all the dumps based on price per ton and a new ticket (that we do not have a statement for yet), showing a dump that normally would have been charged $1.50 and is now $10.00. We were told this move was made to eliminate the little guys just showing up with small loads, but what about the business owner that is there every day and paying large sums per month?
16 comments:
FYI, I am a "Little Guy" licensed contractor who brings a pickup load to the dump on occasion. A pickup load on construction debris @ $55/ton usually came anywhere from $4-$8 a load. Brush is half price, but as the first commenter explains, is very bulky and weighs hardly anything. $1.50 is probably a norm.
We are required as licensed professionals to cross the scales and pay the fees instead of using our home permits to dump into the dumpsters at the household trash area, where I have witnessed people of a certain color emptying a full load of shingles into the bulk dumpster with the custodian looking on and smiling and waving to them.
There's also a fee for tires, $2, to be paid at the scales. I went there with 12 one time, and was told that there is a limit of 4. That makes for three 15 mile trips to the dump burning $4 a gallon diesel.
Folks, start looking for our roadsides to begin looking like landfills, as these new fees and rules will prohibit us from disposing of our debris properly.
Resolution 65-2013- Approving the schedule of fees and charges for services provided by the Wicomico County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division, and to establish a minimum tipping fee- John Redden, Acting Director of Public Works and Mark Whitelock, Supervisor at the Landfill came before Council. Mr. Redden said there has not been an increase in the permit fee for the past seven years. He said that establishing a minimum tipping fee is being requested, as there are people who go over the scale and bring a few bags of trash and are not charged a fee, because the weight of the trash is less than the sensitivity of the large scales register. He said that the other Lower Shore counties have a minimum tipping fee. Commercial businesses do pay a tipping fee. It was noted that the Executive’s budget message proposes a $10 minimum tipping fee however Mr. Redden’s paper states $5 to which Mr. Mackel said the request is for $10.00. Mr. Joe Holloway is concerned that more trash will be dumped along the roads due to the fee increase and the minimum tipping fee. Mr. Whitelock said that when tickets have to be zeroed out because they went across the scale and didn’t register a weight, that takes staff time as well. This fee would also assist with the dredging costs to Solid Waste. Mr. Joe Holloway said he would support a $5 minimum tipping fee but he can’t support the permit increase. Mr. Culver would not like to impose another fee on the citizens. He is in favor of the minimum tipping fee however he does not support a sticker increase. Mrs. Prettyman said it is an individual’s choice to purchase a sticker. She said that everyone does not have to buy a sticker. There are a total of approximately 12,000 stickers purchased each year. Mr. Hall said he is fine with both increases. Mrs. Bartkovich is concerned about the minimum tipping fee as she is concerned about trash on the roads. Mr. Culver would like to give the citizens a notice and increase the fee next year. Mr. Joe Holloway said he will support a minimum $5 tipping fee but not a sticker increase. Mrs. Prettyman made a motion to table Resolution 65-2013 until June 4, 2013 with a second by Mr. Hall. Mrs. Sharon Morris, Assistant Director of Administration, said that the staff has to send out letters to the residents that receive stickers and inform them of the increase. If this is tabled then it would still take time to get the letters out. The motion to table failed due to only Prettyman and Bartkovich voting in favor of the motion to table. Mr. Baker said the Council can reduce the minimum tipping fee however the increase is in the budget therefore the Executive office would have to adjust the budget. Mr. Culver made a motion to charge a $5 minimum tipping fee instead of the $10 with a second by Mr. Joe Holloway. A roll call vote was taken Bartkovich-aye; Sample-Hughes-no; Joe Holloway-aye; Hall-no; Prettyman-no; Culver-aye and Matt Holloway-no. The minimum tipping fee will be $10. Mr. Culver made a motion to leave the sticker fee at $55 with a second by Mr. Joe Holloway. A roll call vote was taken: Bartkovich-aye; Sample-Hughes-no; Joe Holloway-aye; Hall-no; Prettyman-no; Culver-aye; and Matt Holloway-no. The landfill sticker will be $60 for fiscal year 2014. On motion of Mrs. Prettyman and second by Mr. Hall Resolution 65-2013 was duly approved with Bartkovich, Joe Holloway and Culver in opposition.
You Can thank, Matt Holloway, Stevie Prettyman, John Hall & of course Sample-Hughes for the increases!! The only ones with sense of what the real world is like, are Joe Holloway, Gail & Bob.
I tried to find meeting online to watch debate of this, but may 21 council meeting was not listed. I can picture it now, John Hall saying well these are "user fee's" ( as he said about Health Dept fee increases) Well John who do you think these user fee's are passed down too?? Talk about NOT being business friendly!
yep
its just ANOTHER TAX hike people. plain and simple.
if you don't like increased fees and regs bombard the council members with your calls. this is the only way to get change and stop this madness. if you're going to complain and then NOT act; where is that going to get you??? NO WHERE.
You always have that fall back on plan. Dumping on the side of the road. Worked for many a year.
Simply looking at the fees in isolation means nothing. User fees like the landfill fees and the health department fees should be based on whether they are needed to run those government departments. If the departments aren't fully funded by the fees, then the fees need to be raised. Was that the case this time?
If the landfill is being subsidized by general tax dollars, then it's perfectly fair to ask the users of the landfill to pay more. But if it's not, there's no reason to raise the fees.
Just come to the Sharptown transfer station and tip a certain attendant. You won't even need a County sticker.
5:20pm Really? If you know this to be true, then why don't you do something about it instead of posting something like this on blogsite? Doesn't the county have a hot line or something like that to report abuse?
And, another thought. If the county isn't aware of this abuse of the system, then how the hell are they going to correct it? Or would you rather just bitch about it on this site?
5:58, 5:59
The County is supposed to have supervision of the people working for them. Maybe they should get out of Salisbury from time to time and observe.
6:29pm How would you know if the county doesn't get out of Salisbury from time to time to observe? I believe they do. What are the basis for your accusations?
I think that commenters commenting under anonymous should have to sign a name when accusing someone of something. That is slander plain and simple.
The Whitlok guy from the dump was best buddies with the guys that went to jail from ray lewes deal. How did he end up running the place?
To the last statement....what does that have to do with the fee increase???
He is running the place because he is the only one out there with any sense.
We were told this move was made to eliminate the little guys just showing up with small loads, but what about the business owner that is there every day and paying large sums per month?
WHAT?! Eliminate part of the public's access to the dump? What the hell do we pay taxes for? What do we pay fees for? What do we buy permits for?
This friggin county is so screwed up. There needs to be a clean sweep in each dept. Get these lazy ass bumpkins to do the jobs they were hired to do.
Oh, I know, hire some mexicans to do it. They will do the jobs americans don't, or won't do.
The gravy train needs to be derailed.
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