The cost of solid waste removal from Cedar Key has again gone up. At its February 19 meeting the Cedar Key Commission passed an ordinance and a resolution on first reading that will increase the monthly fee for residential garbage collection from $16 to $18.50. That increase comes after an increase from $15 to $16 about a year ago, for a total increase of 23 percent. The first increase was at the request of the contractor, based on increased fuel costs. The $2.50 increase results from recent increased charges by Levy County for use of the county dump. The Commission let Commissioner Sue Colson's motion for a two dollar increase die for lack of a second. The Commission then passed the larger increase on a vote of four to zero. Mayor/Commissioner Paul Oliver did not vote, having arrived after Vice Mayor Vanessa Edmunds had opened the meeting. Commissioner Pat O'Neal mentioned that Gainesville has once-a-week garbage collection, in contrast to Cedar Key's twice-a-week collection. From the audience, Jeff Dwyer explained that the contractor's truck cannot handle a full week's volume of waste and therefore comes twice a week. | 