$11.35, that's how much the city of Elkhart is proposing for a monthly garbage collection fee. And it's what brought dozens from the community to City Hall on a Saturday. They were all there to ask Mayor Dick Moore about the new fee. The Mayor addressed the residents first before taking their questions. He told the audience the City has done a good job with the budget in recent years but they've run out of places to cut. "We cannot make any departmental cuts and continue to operate as is," said Moore.
Mayor Moore said without a monthly garbage collection fee the city will have to start cutting services that he views as essential. "No department can count on escaping cuts that may have to be made...including our public safety," said Moore.
But some who attended the meeting believe there are ways around the new fee. Elkhart resident Pam Kurpgeweit said, There are certain amenities that we like that we can do without or even utilize volunteers such as maintaining our parks, running the railroad museum with more volunteers and on special events only."
Several residents said they're worried if this fee passes there will only be more to come.
And that's not something they can afford right now. "Budgets are tight and people's money are tight, people are losing jobs," said Kurpgeweit
Still some residents are fine with shelling out the extra 11 dollars and 35 cents a month.
Betty Foltz said, "I don't have any problem with the trash fee." She's willing to pay because she likes the service she's getting. "We have a wooded lot, they pick up our limbs every week, the city is clean and when we were under the previous mayor we had leaves laying out til June or July."
Residents won't be waiting that long to know if they'll be paying this new fee or not. Mayor Moore has asked the city council to make a decision by August 20th. The public will have another opportunity to speak about the proposed fee Monday night at the Finance Committee Meeting. If passed, the new fee would go into effect January 1st of 2013.
