The City of Mount Vernon will review if codifying a low-income discount or snowbird policy are things they want added to the resource recovery and refuse control ordinances.
City administrator Chris Nosbisch said he was making changes to some of the language to the ordinances since the switchover from the tags system to Republic Waste Management, and if changes to other language was being investigated, it would be time to look at these two policies as well.
Currently, the low-income discount the city had previously enacted to reuse control with the tags system is not spelled out with the contract with Republic Waste Management.
Part of that system was because the benefit was applied in a case-by-case basis. Many of those who utilized the program lived in the Colonial Estates Mobile Home court. With the switchover to Republic Waste Management, those individuals who would put out separate garbage bags and tags are now covered by the management of the trailer park and their choices with waste management.
Nosbisch said if the city were to roll out a low income discount, it would have be at a 1 percent fee or $1.50 surcharge for other citizens to help offset the costs.
Council members Craig Engel and Scott Rose wanted more information on how many households would be impacted if a low-income discount was codified. Rose especially wondered if low-to-moderate income funding the city has in districts could be used to offset this cost if people meet income guidelines.
Nosbisch said since this has rolled out, no one as sought financial assistance to help with garbage fees alone, but usually combined with multiple bills.
“We have seen an increase in funding from Southeast Linn Community Center, area churches or HACAP to pay for some of these bills,” Nosbisch said.
The other portion not spelled out in city code has been the snowbird policy.
The previous practice was to give bill relief for snowbirds for three months while they were wintering elsewhere.
Nosbisch said that if it were to be codified with current practice, the charges for snow removal, tree cleaning and other services included in garbage bills monthly should be what snowbirds remain paying, but their service with Republic could be put on hold for three months.
Council member Scott Rose said he didn’t want a bookkeeping nightmare for city hall with snowbird processes, and that any procedure should keep a three-month minimum for snowbirds.
The council will be reviewing the ordinances at November’s meetings.