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Published: Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Youngstown garbage rates going up

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The city had been losing $200,000 a year on its garbage collections.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — A 25-percent increase beginning April 1 in city residential garbage fees could have some people feeling like Oscar the Grouch.

The city's board of control recently awarded a one-year contract, effective March 1, with a one-year option to Waste Management, a Houston-based company.

Beginning April 1, the monthly cost for residential customers will go from $9 to $11.25. City council is to vote on the increase at its meeting today.

Waste Management received the contract through competitive bidding, beating two other companies, said Carmen S. Conglose Jr., deputy director of the city's department of public works.

Waste Management has served as the city's residential garbage vendor for at least the past four years, he said.

The rising cost of fuel is the primary reason for Waste Management's rate increase, Conglose said.

There are about 29,000 residential garbage customers in the city.

What this means

The new contract with Waste Management increases the residential garbage collection price by $2 a customer from $6.75 to $8.75 a month.

That new residential collection fee doesn't include a $5.25-a-ton state-mandated assessment the city pays to Waste Management and passes along to its customers. The city added 25 cents to residential customers' bills along with Waste Management's $2 increase to pay the assessment fee. The city wasn't charging its residential customers enough in the past to pay that assessment, causing it to lose about $200,000 annually on garbage collection, Conglose said.

The cost for residential garbage removal is included on monthly water bills sent to city customers.

Even with the increase, Conglose says the new monthly garbage collection fee in Youngstown is inexpensive. The cost for standard garbage pickup in Warren is $14.12 a month, according to the city's Web site.

Businesses in the city must take care of their own garbage removal.

Funds to take down building

Also today, council is to consider providing $75,000 to the Western Reserve Transit Authority, which plans to demolish the former Salvation Army Building. The building is on Mahoning Avenue, near Marshall Street and WRTA's corporate offices.

City officials have said in the past that the vacant structure on one of the main entrances to downtown reflects poorly on the city and needs to be demolished.

The sale was finalized a few weeks ago, said James Ferraro, WRTA's executive director.

The Salvation Army originally wanted $600,000 for the vacant property on the city's lower West Side, but after on-again, off-again negotiations, an agreement was reached to sell the property for $17,500, Ferraro said.

WRTA estimates the cost of asbestos abatement, demolition and paving at the 1.1-acre parcel at $470,000.

The federal government is providing $320,000, and WRTA will get $75,000 from the city if the ordinance is approved today.

WRTA operates the only public bus transportation system in Mahoning County.

skolnick@vindy.com

Wednesday, February 21, 2007