Portage homeowners face a double blow as the city prepares to approve higher water and sewer rates while simultaneously putting a controversial single-hauler trash system up for a vote that could reshape the local waste management landscape.
The city council will receive its first look at the proposed budget for the next fiscal year at their Tuesday meeting, with City Manager Pat McGinnis reporting that no millage hike is planned.
"It will represent improved services, new capital programs, projects, new investments and no increase, so I know that's what city council looks for," McGinnis said.
However, the savings come at a cost to individual ratepayers. The budget includes an approximately 8.4% increase in sewer rates and a 5% increase in water rates, resulting in an overall recommended increase of about 7%.
"For an average user that's about a $5.67 increase per month in their water and sewer bills for next year," said City Council member Chris Burns, noting that the recommendation came from the utilities advisory council.
The budget also includes a separate ballot initiative that would give Portage residents the choice to keep Waste Management as their single trash hauler or switch back to a competitive market. The city and Waste Management have been operating under a single-hauler agreement for about two weeks, cutting out smaller local service Best Way Disposal.
"We're just super excited to be in the City of Portage and providing that excellent service, and at the end of the day, we are just here to build a great relationship with the residents and the community," said Dave Wainscott of Waste Management.
The single-hauler agreement reportedly saves residents 44% more compared to previous rates. The city says the arrangement has led to fewer trash vehicles on the roads and quieter operations.
However, Best Way Disposal manager Chris Phillips, who is part of a petition committee called "Take Back the Trash," argues that the system removes choice from residents.
"By having a one hauler that the city has contracted with, that gives us a little more teeth in what the communication is between that hauler, what they're doing," said Portage's Director of Public Works Jereme Rowland. "If there are issues, we have a direct contact with them that we can try to address any issues. Before, it was everybody for themselves."
Phillips told News Channel 3 that the city did not offer Portage residents much of a choice when implementing the single-hauler system.
"Single-hauler is done elsewhere, but we are a proponent of open markets and we always push for open markets," Phillips said.
If the council approves the budget, public work sessions and public hearings will be held before final approval. The next fiscal year begins on July 1st.
The budget proposal represents another chapter in Portage's ongoing debates over local services, taxes, and government spending. With water bills set to rise and the trash system facing a referendum, homeowners are watching closely to see how these decisions impact their wallets.