Garbage policy called into question

The new policy for garbage fees adopted this year by the Sundance City Council was called into question last week when a business owner questioned the size of her monthly bill. Joni Spaulding, who owns Bearlodge Bakery & Greenhouse, asked why her bill has increased from $74.55 when she took over in 2018 to $202 since January of this year.

The bill represents the total for the building, she acknowledged, which also includes a second business and a rented apartment. However, Spaulding was still surprised by the extent of the increase – particularly, she said, as the engineering company does not dump any garbage.

Public Works Director Mac Erickson was able to explain that Spaulding had been paying for two pick-ups a week, but as that is not necessary at the present time her total will be going to $147 in March. Clerk-Treasurer Kathy Lenz was also able to explain why the increase seemed sudden.

When city staff performed a thorough audit of its utility accounts, she said, several had been missed that should have included a charge for multiple businesses occupying the same building. The bakery was one of those businesses, Lenz said; the huge increase came about because she had been getting “a really good deal” before the error was found.

Spaulding’s case brought up several queries about the new billing structure for garbage, which is intended to reflect actual per-gallon usage by the city’s businesses. The changes were introduced at the beginning of the year and will see each business charged a service fee as well as a cost for each dumpster it uses.

Spaulding questioned whether the service fee is applied in cases where “itty bitty businesses” share the same building, to which Lenz replied that they are unless the individuals are operating under a single business name. Council Member Joe Wilson asked, along the same lines, if the office spaces in Old Stoney will be charged the business rate and was told that they will be.

In cases where the business creates minimal garbage, Spaulding wondered if it might not be fairer to introduce an “office rate” for the service charge of, for example, $20 per month. While she said she has no issue paying the business rate for the bakery, because she’s certainly making sufficient use of the service to do so, the second business in her building is not producing anywhere near the same levels of garbage.

Spaulding also questioned the fairness of the policy when multiple customers are all using the same garbage can. A company that uses a whole can pays just $55, she says, but if four customers shared a can then the total paid to dump it would quadruple to $220.

Spaulding also brought up the problem of the second business’s bill coming to her and said the engineering company has expressed willingness to pay it, but only if they receive a bill from the city.

“I’m paying for everyone else, which seems a burden to me,” she commented.

Lenz explained that the bill is tied to customers’ meters, as it is with sewer and water. However, she suggested that the city could extend a helping hand by sending a bill to the second business and then applying the payment to Spaulding’s account.

Mayor Paul Brooks further commented that the city has tried for years to create a workable garbage fee structure and welcomes ideas for solutions to any perceived problems with the current system.