McCORDSVILLE — Residents will see a higher utility bill next month as the town adds a new trash fee.
The McCordsville Town Council in November approved a trash collection fee of $10.18 for each household. The monthly rate, which is locked in until 2022, will first appear on sewer and stormwater bills this month.
Having a “user fee” for McCordsville residents frees up about $220,000 worth of property tax revenue in the town’s general fund that had been spent on trash services, said town manager Tonya Galbraith. The town now will be able to use those funds for road improvement projects and contributing to matching grants, she said.
Each household will also receive a free 95-gallon trash container from the town’s trash provider, CGS Services Inc.
Town officials have been discussing for a few years whether to charge a trash fee, Galbraith said. With less money available due to property tax caps, the fee will allow the town to pay for more infrastructure improvements. McCordsville is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state.
Next year, the town of more than 7,000 residents will have three new subdivisions under construction, totaling nearly 600 lots. A park impact fee study estimates McCordsville’s population could increase to almost 13,000 by 2027. Galbraith said the impending household growth would cause the town to spend even more on trash services through property tax revenue.
“That’s why we thought now, with new subdivisions coming in, that this was probably the best time to do it,” she said.
Before the four-year contract with CGS expires, Galbraith said the town will rebid for trash services to determine a new fee. She said $10.18 is the highest CGS currently charges for trash pickup. The town picked the higher rate to ensure the price won’t change until after four years, Galbraith said.
Some residents have voiced concerns to Galbraith about having to pay for trash pickup if they leave town for a few months. Others told her they’re upset with the fee since they don’t use the town’s trash service.
Homeowners can also contract with CGS for recycling at an additional charge, Galbraith wrote in a letter sent to McCordsville residents last month. Under the new contract, however, CGS will install four 6-yard recycling containers at town hall for residents to recycle without paying an extra fee.
