Fort Smith reviewing ‘pay as you throw’ trash costs

Submitted by The City Wire Staff on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 1:08pm

story by Aric Mitchell
amitchell@thecitywire.com

“Pay as you throw” is a system of solid waste collection currently under use by the Tulsa Department of Sanitation, and one that could be considered by Fort Smith.

At the June 19 Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting, City Director Pam Weber asked Baridi Nkokheli, director of the Fort Smith Department of Sanitation, to see if the program would be a good fit in the ongoing automated-versus-non-automated debate.

The Tulsa Sanitation website shows that “pay as you throw” rates for automated curbside collection, which go in effect Oct. 1, 2012, will run $15.52 per month for a 96-gallon container compared to the Fort Smith rate of $14.38.

Tulsa Sanitation, however, does make allowances for residents, who dispose of less waste, going down to $14.02 (curbside) per month for 64-gallon containers and $12.52 (curbside) for 32-gallon containers.

Tulsa also offers “backyard service,” which is defined as “up to 100 feet from the curb or travel portion of the road,” according to the city’s website.

These numbers are more expensive, running at monthly rates of $16.47 (32-gallon), $17.97 (64-gallon), and $19.47 (96-gallon).

“Extended backyard service” is yet another option offered in Tulsa, and that includes, “more than 100 feet from the curb or travel portion of the road.”

These numbers are even higher, running at monthly rates of $19.47 (32-gallon), $20.97 (64-gallon), and $22.47 (96-gallon).

Nkokheli said “those numbers do not reflect storm debris removal, yard waste, recycling, bulky items, or troubleshooter services, all of which cost extra, all of which are included in Fort Smith Sanitation’s $14.38 per month.”

The Tulsa Sanitation website confirms Nkokheli’s statement, noting that “green waste collection” is “50 cents per bag or bundle” and “bulk waste collection” is $5 per collection.

Nkokheli added that he expects to have a “manual-versus-automated rate differential calculated and delivered to the board by July 20,” showing how much more residents in non-automated areas of the city can expect to pay under a hybrid system.

He noted that his department is waiting for the end of the month for “a landfill rate review” that will encompass costs over a 12-month period and “provide a more firm number that we can then deliver to the board at the July 24 study session.”

The calculations were requested by City Director Philip Merry at the June 19 board meeting.

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Comments

Jonesboro Trash Provided Free through the 8.5% Sales Tax!

Submitted by Jack Swink on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 5:51pm.

You would think our city directors would be interested in how a city like Jonesboro provides automated trash pickup free to residents inside the city limits. It is funded through the 8.5% sales tax.

Move there already...

Submitted by Broken Record (not verified) on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 6:36pm.

Jack, Let your Jonesboro rant die. Too much else going on to make a realistic comparison. You don't even care about anything except wanting the current gov. to be wrong.

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Not Free

Submitted by Bradley Martin on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 7:13pm.

Jack I would not concider 1/2 cent for each $ spent in Jonesboro to pay for sanitation free.

Not Free, But Cheaper And Why?

Submitted by Jack Swink on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 10:09pm.

Bradley, Fort Smith has a 9.25% sales tax, Jonesboro has a 8.5% sales tax. Jonesboro provides sanitation to the residents through the 8.5% sales tax, FS charges an additional $13 plus tax for sanitation. If Jonesboro can provide these services, then Fort Smith should look how Jonesboro can do such and see where we can make adjustments within our city government. Jonesboro has great city parks, outstanding tournament baseball parks, soccer parks, not to mention their streets are as good as ours. They're growing at 21%, FS at 7%. We're losing our workforce, they are keepting theirs. The costs of basic services, water and sanitation are forcing many to leave FS for better paying jobs and being able to keep more of their disposable incomes. Can you tell me why?

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Can you tell us why you are

Submitted by City of Fort Smith (not verified) on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 8:17am.

Can you tell us why you are still here and not in Jonesboro?

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Leaving Fort Smith

Submitted by seriosly (not verified) on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 9:37am.

Your position is that folks are leaving Fort Smith because of the price of sanaitation???? I would consider job losses the first thing on the list. Also on the list would be the lack of job creation and lack of attracting new jobs to the area.

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High Basic Services Could Be Part of The Problem

Submitted by Jack Swink on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 10:29am.

I believe the high costs of essential services could be part of the reason folks are leaving, especially when the incomes are higher in all surrounding, comparable cities and essential services are not any higher and like Jonesboro, lower. We have had 3 water rate increases with the past four years and like Ray Gosack said 7500 gallons of water usage a month costs $69 not including tax or sanitation. Add $13 plus taxes for sanitation and what costs $33.28 in Jonesboro costs $84 in Fort Smith. Whirlpool used large amounts of water, that could have played a role in their closing, don’t know for sure, but could have. I think these high costs of essential services could have an effect on attracting new industry and the regulations on new local startups hampers growth in that sector. Why our city leaders would want to look at Tulsa’s sanitation program, when Tulsa has a population of 400,000 and not take a look at what Jonesboro, population 67,000, is doing right, is beyond me.

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Jonesboro tax increase

Submitted by The Observer on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 11:04am.

Jack, Interesting article in the paper the other day. Jonesboro is increasing their sales tax 1%. Why? To build a convention center....looks like you will have to find an new pet town.

Sorry Observer, No Sales Tax Increase In Jonesboro!

Submitted by Jack Swink on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 1:21pm.

Observer, you must have been observing from afar. The way I interpret the Jonesboro’s proposed CC is pure genius in comparison to Fort Smith’s approach. The Jonesboro mayor was brilliant in that he didn’t want to use the city’s general revenue to pay for a $4,000,000 piece of property so the Jonesboro A&P must pay for the 14 acre tract from the 3% hotel tax it receives…beautiful!!! Fort Smith’s A&P couldn’t be asked to do the same, after it pays the huge salary packages and expenses, there wouldn’t be enough left over for such. Secondly, after the land is purchased, the city of Jonesboro will contract with a private developer to build and operate the 75,000sf center….again brilliant!!! The tax payers don’t have to subsidize losses between $700,000 - $1,000,000 a year. No additional Sales Tax, no additional obligations to the average taxpayers, just another good move by a city that is doing things right. Oh and by the way, unlike our convention center that projects millions upon millions of dollars being brought in each time an event takes place, Jonesboro estimates the new convention center will contribute to over $1 million annually in sales tax revenues, well under the estimates we hear from our A&P…..So Sorry Observer, but no sales tax increase in Jonesboro, still a “model city”.

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Jonesboro scheme

Submitted by The Observer on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 9:27pm.

Jack, I hate to admit it but you are correct. I can't however believe you would buy into the plan they are putting forth. They have had a 1% hotel tax to fund their A&P and it brought in about $125,000 per year. In April they upped their tax to 3% with the idea to hire a professional staff to run it. This would bring in $350,000. Now the scheme I can't believe you endorse. They are going to borrow $4,000,000 from the city light and water; which I assume is an enterprise fund much like our sanitation dept., to buy 14 acres of property and pay them back from the A&P tax as well as hire a professional A&P staff. Counting interest and the full amount of money to be gained from the tax it will take years to pay for that property. In the mean time they are going to attempt to get a developer from out of state to come in, build the center and run it. I assume they will gift the property or enter into a long term lease of it with the private developer. That is a public - private partnership that you detest. I wish them the best but it doesn't seem viable. I know that most business folks will insist on a subsidy if it doesn't cash flow as most do not. Maybe Jonesboro will give them the land to build a hotel on as well as a part of the deal. Don't you think the other hoteliers will raise hell? They did in Fort Smith years ago when Hammonds had a similar deal to build the Holiday Inn. City got sued, Hammonds got sued and they lost. Think it through Jack...I don't see how you could ever buy into a deal like this crony capitalism scheme.

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Is Protecting Taxpayers A Scheme?

Submitted by Jack Swink on Wed, 07/11/2012 - 8:26am.

Observer, you may condemn the approach Jonesboro is using, but I applaud it. The city leaders are not obligating the working taxpayers of that city one red cent. If I’m not mistaken, John Q Hammons wanted to build a convention center next to his Holiday Inn long ago, but the city of Fort Smith would not allow him, now that my friend is crony capitalism. Jonesboro is being more realistic on the front end by building 75,000sf versus the grandiose 145,000sf here at Fort Smith. Our A&P along with the convention center is a bureaucratic nightmare with huge salary packages and huge expenses, yet Mayor Sanders and Director Don Hutchings has refused to scale it down to operate more like the Phoenix Expo, which I hear is doing 5xs the business. Or Kay Rodgers park, another example of a reduced structure. Again, Jonesboro provides sanitation free to residents of Jonesboro through the 8.5% sales tax. So Jonesboro residents pay $33.28 for water, sewer and sanitation, versus what Fort Smith residents pay $84 for. With the lowest median incomes than any of the surrounding cities, do you ever wonder why 11,000 have left our work force in Fort Smith?

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Not So Rosy

Submitted by Bradley Martin on Wed, 07/11/2012 - 12:16pm.

I have recently talked to a couple who moved from Jonesboro to Fort Smith they did not paint as rosy a picture of Jonesboro as you. They didn't see many things as you do particularly the streets. I have also talked with several tourist from Jonesboro who still live there and their concept of Jonesboro was not as Rosy as you paint.

Weber wobbles...

Submitted by Generation4 on Wed, 07/11/2012 - 10:29am.

So what's the deal now with throwing in varied costs according to the size of the cans used even though most likely 'Granny' gets a break? Obfustication? I thought the main points were scaling the cliffs towards the front and the near total destruction of home values so how does this help that? IMHO it's gonna take awhile to go through every city in the US and try to compare.

Fort Smith reviewing ‘pay as you throw’ trash costs

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