Fees proposed for WL pay as you throw

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - West Lafayette has decided on preliminary fees for the pay as you throw trash concept are determined.

The system will charge residents depending on the amount of garbage they toss. A work group refining the ordinance determined a structure for the plan.

The proposed plan would be a two tiered system. A $11 monthly fee will be charged for any can up 48 gallons. A premium trash service would charge $15 for a 96 gallon city toter. Stickers for extra bags that won't fit into the cans up to 36 gallons would be $2 a piece. Bulk items would cost $10 to be removed.

Financial consultant to the city, Jim Treat, said with the current monthly fee the city isn't covering the cost of trash pickup.

"It's still $9 a month, which is way under market for any other community for any other service you get for trash hauling," he explained.

Currently, the city is short $200,000 in garbage costs a year. The city has not changed its trash ordinance in 17 years. There will be a public hearing about the proposed fees the week of January 18. The city council will have a final vote on the pay as you throw plan March 1.