Garbage Removal Fees Go Up

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.