Residential Trash Collection Could Go Up By $1 in Oxford

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Oxford residents living in a single-family homes may soon see an increase – albeit a slight one – on their trash collection bill.

On Tuesday, Environmental Services Superintendent Amberlyn Liles told the Oxford Board of Aldermen that due to expected increases in tipping and dumping fees at the Three Rivers Landfill, it will be necessary to increase fees for trash collection.

“We usually have an increase about every five years, but with COVID-19, we didn’t want to raise rates,” Liles said. “But now, everything is going up.”

She is proposing a $1 a month raise for regular residential pickup that will increase the monthly fee from $21 a month to $22 a month.

Trash is picked up twice a week in Oxford, which amounts to a $.12 raise per pickup.

Commercial, industrial, government, church and other businesses that use regular trash pickup and not dumpsters could see their rates go from $40 a month to $45.

The cost of dumpster service would also go up; however, the Board of Aldermen would need to vote on how much.

Lyles presented them with numbers showing a 3, 5, 7 and 9 percent increase.

She said that Three Rivers has not yet confirmed how much they will be raising their rates but estimates anywhere from $2 to $8 per ton.

The Board only discussed the possibility of a rate increase Tuesday. No action was taken.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill said she felt before the Board voted on the percentage increase, they would need to know how much the tipping and dumping fees will be increasing.

“I think the board will be in agreement to go up by whatever we will need to cover our expenses,” Tannehill said.

Before the rates would be raised, the Board would hold three readings, with the second reading also being a public hearing, before voting on whether to approve the rate increases after the third reading.

If approved, the rate increase would likely go into effect after the start of the next fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.