Augusta is a step closer to having a permanent residential waste hauler and potentially, recycling, while the price to customers is yet to be determined.
The city’s Engineering Services committee unanimously approved hiring Coastal Waste and Recycling Inc. Tuesday. Coastal is one of two haulers currently serving the city and the latest recommendation by Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik.
The city has negotiated the price it will pay monthly for weekly pickup of residential garbage, yard waste and bulky waste to $22.11, Malik said. It also negotiated a monthly rate of $12.69 for weekly recycling pickup, if the service is administered by the city, or $14.69 if provided directly by Coastal, he said.
Malik said the city will work with Coastal ahead of an Aug. 1 start date to transition the company to serving the entire city. Current second provider Georgia Waste Systems, a division of Waste Management, covers Zone 1, an area roughly within the old city limits. Coastal covers zones 2 and 3.
The rates are a slight reduction from Augusta is paying its haulers now, while Coastal will bear additional costs such as purchasing and repairing garbage bins, Malik said.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson asked if the proposal created deficits. Malik last year recommended increasing customer rates from $320 to $440 annually and use an excess to cover services such as demolitions, vacant lot clearing and street sweeping.
The current proposal costs the city $19 million and leaves the city just $1.7 million to cover an additional costs, Malik said.
Discussion of what to charge customers will come before or during the budget process, he said.
In other business, commission committees did the following:
- Reviewed two similar options presented by Planning Director Carla Delaney for a short-term rental ordinance. A strict version limited the rentals to 14 days per year while a moderate version, preferred by Mayor Garnett Johnson, limited rentals to 30 days per year but included longer rentals for military assignment stays.
- Heard from dialysis nurse Chelsea Carlson about the address limits of Augusta Transit to transport ambulatory patients to dialysis. Transit Director Sharon Dottery said state rules and population shifts have restricted access by Augusta’s rural transit program.
- Reviewed concepts presented by Administrator Tameka Allen for realigning city departments to create a consolidated grounds maintenance department and to separate Engineering from Environmental Services. Engineering Services voted 3-1 to refer the concepts to the full commission.
- Referred changes presented by Director James Hill to the animal ordinance to the full commission. The changes included shortening stray holds, requiring all dogs be restrained, even at their own homes, mandatory spays and neuters after the second impound and setting dangerous dog criteria that is not breed specific.
