The Salem City Council has raised garbage and leaf vacuum fees by about eight dollars a month.
Finance Director Keli Roth says the increase is needed to keep the garbage fund from going deeper into the red.
“The last time we did an increase three years ago, it wasn’t much. At that meeting, I also stated it was not enough to not lose money every single year. So every year, it goes more in the negative. The rate I’m proposing does not get us into the positive. It keeps us flat.”
Roth says right now the fund is $120,000 in the red.
While Mayor Nic Farley argued they could not afford to kick the can down the road, Councilman Jim Koehler disagreed.
“A lot of people don’t have the money to do this and they are scared to death. I do realize we are in debt and we need to do this, but I think we have the ability to get through this and be able to survive it. Then we can talk about something later on after the property taxes come out and everybody finds out what they have to pay and everything else.”
Koehler ended up being the only no-vote to increase the garage rate from $14.50 to $19.50 a month and the leaf collection fee from $2.45 to $5.50 a month.
The council did roll back a gas meter fee increase approved earlier. The $11 increase will now be just $1 for residential customers, but residents will pay 10 cents more per therm of gas used. Roth feels it’s a better deal for residents, especially if gas prices remain low. Some industries with multiple meters will also have their fees rolled back with a bigger charge for just one of their meters.
The council also agreed to enter into a 30-year rebate program on the purchase cost of natural gas. To be eligible, the city will have to purchase 60 to 70 percent of its natural gas through the program. There is a 90-day out if the city is unhappy.
